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THE MODERN DRAMA SERIES EDITED BY EDWIN BJORKMAN

THE GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN : THE GOLDEN

DOOM : KING ARGIMENES AND THE UN- KNOWN warrior: the glittering gate:

THE lost silk HAT I BY LORD DUNSANY

FIVE PLAYS

THE GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN THE GOLDEN DOOM KING ARGIMENES AND THE UNKNOWN WARRIOR THE GLITTERING GATE THE LOST SILK HAT

BY LORD DUNSANY

NEW YORK MITCHELL KENNERLEY MCMXIV COPYRIGHT I914 BY MITCHELL KENNERLEY ALL DRAMATIC RIGHTS RESERVED BY THE AUTHOR

THB-PLIMPTON'PRESS NORWOOD'MASS-U-S'A CONTENTS PAGE Introduction vii

Chronological List of Plays xiii

The Gods of the Mountain 1 The Golden Doom 39 King Argimenes and the Unknown Warrior 61 The Glittering Gate 87

The Lost Silk IL^^t 101

INTRODUCTION

OBSERVATION and imagination are the basic principles of all poetry. It is impossible to con- ceive a poetical work from which one of them is wholly absent. Observation without imagination makes for obviousness ; imagination without observation turns into nonsense. What marks the world's greatest poetry is perhaps the presence in almost equal pro- portion of both these principles. But as a rule wc find one of them predominating, and from this one- sided emphasis the poetry of the period derives its character as realistic or idealistic. The poetry of the middle nineteenth century made a fetish of observation. It came as near excluding imagination as it could without ceasing entirely to be poetry. That such exaggeration should sooner or later result in a sharp reaction was natural. The change began during the eighties and gathered full headway in the early nineties. Imagination, so long scorned, came into its rights once more, and it is rapidly becoming the dominant note in the literary production of our own day. " The new movement has been called " neo-romantic and " symbolistic." Both these names apply, but neither of them exhausts the contents or meaning of the movement which received its first impetus from Ibsen and which later found its typical embodiment in Maeterlinck. From this movement came much of ;

viii INTRODUCTION the inspiration that produced the poetical re-birth of Ireland out of which has sprung the man whom I have now the pleasure of introducing to American readers: a man with imagination as elfish as moonlight mist. Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, Lord Dun- sany, is the eighteenth member of his family to bear the title which gives him a place in the Irish peerage. He was born in 1878 and received his education at Eton and Sandhurst. In 1899 he succeeded his father to the title and the family estate in Meath, Ireland. During the South African war he served at the front with the Coldstream Guards. He is passionately fond of outdoor life and often spends the whole day in the saddle before sitting down at his desk to write late at night.

His work proves, however, that he is as fond of

spiritual as of physical exercise, and that he is an inveterate traveller in those mysterious regions of the partly known or wholly unknown where the imagina- tion alone can guide us. His first literary heroes were the brothers Grimm and Andersen. Then the Greek world of Olympians was revealed to him, making a

lasting impression on his mind. But it was the Bible that gave him the limpid style which makes his most fantastic tales as real as government reports — or rather much more so. " For years no style seemed to me natural but that of the Bible," he said not long ago, " and I feared that I would never become a writer when I saw that other people did not use it." For something like ten years he has been a pretty frequent and increasingly valued contributor to Eng- lish and Anglo-Irish periodicals. He has previously

published five volumes : " The Gods of Pegana," 1905 INTRODUCTION ix

"Time and the Gods," 1906; "The Sword of Welle- ran," 1908; "A Dreamer's Tales," 1910; and "The Book of Wonder," 1912. All are collections of prose pieces that defy accepted classifications. They are fairy tales and short stories and essays and prose poems at the same time. The reader has only to take a brief glance at one of those works to make the astounding discovery that he is being introduced to worlds of which he has never heard before. Even the " Arabian Nights " have a clearly identifiable background of popular legend and myth. Nothing of the kind is to be found in the writings of Lord Dunsany. He may be said to have created a new mythology wholly his own. He is not only the master but the maker of the countries to which he takes us on such fascinating jaunts. His commonest name for them is the Edge of the World, but sometimes he speaks of them as the Lands of Wonder. This latter name is doubly significant, for the whole movement of which he forms such a striking manifestation has been defined as a " renascence of wonder." The names of places and persons appearing in the stories of Lord Dunsany are worth a study in them- selves. There are hundreds of them, giving evidence of an inexhaustible imagination ; and each one of them is as aptly suggestive as if generations of men had been at work shaping them. To hear of Sarda- thion, the city built by the Gods of Old, is to see its domes of marble rising sky-high in the sunset-lighted air. To hear of Slith and Sij)j)y and Slorg, the three thieves who went to the Edge of the World in quest

of the Golden Box, is to feel as if one were dealing INTRODUCTION with historical characters like Aaron Burr or Chinese Gordon. And as we learn more about them, these fanciful creatures of Lord Dunsany's brain assume still more familiar characteristics, as if they had been studied in some Irish village or English street. It is this fact that reveals one of the main secrets of Lord Dunsany's appeal: that behind all his exuberant imagination lies a solid basis of observation, enabling him to endow the most impossible adventures with a homely and convincing air. The five plays contained in the present volume are the only ones written by him so far. All have been produced on the stage. " The Golden Doom " has been played at the Haymarket Theatre, London, and in a number of Russian cities. " The Gods of the Mountain " was also staged, and most successfully, at the Haymarket. " King Argimenes " and " The Glit- tering Gate " have been given by the Irish Players, and " The Lost Silk Hat " has been put on by Iden Payne at Manchester. After seeing " The Gods of the Mountain," Frank Harris wrote: "It was one of the nights of my life; the only play, I said to myself, which meant anything to me in twenty years or more." Without sharing the opinion of Mr. Harris about the dramatic output of the last twenty years, I share fully his enthusiasm in regard to the play that caused his remark. The note struck in it is so distinctly new as to make one gasp as under a sharp shock. But the surprise turns quickly into pleasure such as only the originality of genius can confer. It is hard to define just what makes these plays what they are. But certain qualities are tangible. INTRODUCTION

Their deep and rich symbolism is one. It is the kind of symbolism for which the advances of modern psychology has prepared us — the kind that is in- separable from life itself as we are only just beginning to understand it. Another quality is their capacity for suggesting at once the intimate unity and ap- palling vastness of life. In " The Golden Doom" the fate of an empire and a little boy's desire for a new plaything become linked as facts of equal importance " in the web of fate. In " The Gods of the Mountain we meet with an atmosphere of fatality comparable only to that found in the Greek dramas. The crime of hyhris, which to the Greeks was the " unforgivable sin," is here made as real to us as it was to them. But these remarks of mine about the inner signifi- cance of the plays should not tempt anybody into thinking them deficient in that element of formal per- fection without which they could not be classed as works of art. They are, indeed, " things of beauty," and their beauty inheres in their design as well as in their style. Through all of them the greatest possible economy of means has been observed, so that not a word, not a tone, not a gesture is wasted in obtaining

the effect aimed at. The dialogue of Maeterlinck is suggested, but not more than suggested. The words spoken by the characters of Maeterlinck are often so vague as to be practically meaningless. The char- acters of Lord Dunsany speak as simply as those of Maeterlinck, but always sharply to the point; there can be no mistaking of what they mean, and that meaning serves always to carry the action of the play

forward. And each play of Lord Diinsany's is an exciting advcnfurc, conveying to the reader an cxhila- xii INTRODUCTION rating sense of motion without ever descending to old-fashioned stage tricks for the production of that sense. This means that they combine to an extraordi- nary degree the qualities which make separately for theatrical or literary success. Edwin Bjorkman. CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF PLAYS BY LORD DUNSANY

The Glitteeixg Gate, 1909 King Argimenes and the Unknown Warrior, 1911. The Gods of the Mountain, 1911 The Golden Doom, 1912 The Lost Silk Hat, 1913

THE GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN "

PERSONS

Agmar Slag Ulf Beggars OoGNo Y Thahn Mlan A Thief OORANDEE

Illanaun - Citizens Akmos The Dromedary Men Citizens, etc. The Others

Scene : The East THE GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN

THE FIRST ACT

Outside a city wall. Three beggars are seated upon the ground.

OOGNO These days are bad for beggary, THAHN They are bad. L'LF {an older beggar but not gray) Some evil has befallen the rich ones of this city. They take no jo}" any longer in benevolence, but are become sour and miserly at heart. Alas for

them ! I sometimes sigh for them when I think of this. OOGNO

Alas for them ! A miserly heart must be a sore affliction. THAHN A sore affliction indeed, and bad for our calling. OOGNO (reflectively) They have been thus for many months. What thing has befallen them? THAHN Some evil tiling. ULF There has been a comet come near to the earth of 4 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act i

late and the earth has been parched and sultry so that the gods are drowsy and all those things that are divine in man, such as benevolence, drunkenness, extravagance, and song, have faded and died and have not been replenished by the gods. OOGNO It has indeed been sultry. THAHN I have seen the comet o' nights. ULF The gods are drowsy. OOGNO If they awake not soon and make this city worthy again of our order I for one shall forsake the call- ing and buy a shop and sit at ease in the shade and barter for gain. THAHN You will keep a shop? [^Enter Agmar and Slag. Agmar, though poorly dressed, is tall, imperious, and older than* Ulf. Slag follows behind him. AGMAR Is this a beggar who speaks? OOGNO Yes, master, a poor beggar. AGMAR How long has the calling of beggary existed? OOGNO Since the building of the first city, master. AGMAR And when has a beggar ever followed a trade? When has he ever haggled and bartered and sat in a shop? ACT i] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 5

OOGNO Why, he has never done so. AGMAR Are you he that shall be first to forsake the calling? OOGNO Times are bad for the calling here. THAHN They are bad. AGMAR So you would forsake the calling? OOGXO The city is unworthy of our calling. The gods are drowsy and all that is divine in man is dead. {To third beggar) Are not the gods drowsy? ULF They are drowsy in their mountains away at Marma. The seven green idols are drowsy. Who

is this that rebukes us? THAHN Are you some great merchant, master? Perhaps you will help a poor man that is starving. SLAG My master a merchant! No, no. He is no mer- chant. My master is no merchant. GOGNO I perceive that he is some lord in disguise. The gods have woken and have sent him to save us. SLAG No, no. You do not know my master. You do not know him. THAHN Is he the Soldan's self that has come to rebuke us? 6 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act i AGMAR I am a beggar, and an old beggar. SLAG {with great pride) There is none like my master. No traveller has met with cunning like to his, not even those that come from -Ethiopia. ULF We make you welcome to our town, upon which an evil has fallen, the days being bad for beggary. AGMAR Let none who has known the mystery of roads or has felt the wind arising new in the morning, or who has called forth out of the souls of men divine benevolence, ever speak any more of any trade or of the miserable gains of shops and the trading men. OOGNO I but spoke hastily, the times being bad. AGMAR I will put right the times. SLAG There is nothing that my master cannot do. AGMAR (to Slag) Be silent and attend to me. I do not know this city. I have travelled from far, having somewhat exhausted the city of Ackara. SLAG

My master was three times knocked down and in- jured by carriages there, once he was killed and seven times beaten and robbed, and every time he was generously compensated. He had nine diseases, many of them mortal — ACT i] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 7

AGMAE Be silent, Slag. — Have you any thieves among the calling here? ULF We have a few that we call thieves here, master, but they would scarcely seem thieves to you. They are not good thieves. AGMAR I shall need the best thief you have. lEnter txvo citizens richly clad, Illanaun and Oo- rander. ILLANAUN Therefore we will send galleons to Ardaspes. OGEANDER Right to Ardaspes through the silver gates. \^Agmar transfers the thick handle of his long staff to his left armpit, he droops on to it and it sup- ports his weight; he is upright no longer. His right arm hangs limp and useless. He hobbles up to the citizens imploring alms. ILLANAUN I am sorry. I cannot help you. There have been too many beggars here and we must decline alms for the good of the town. AGMAE (sitting down and weeping) I have come from far. l^Illanaun presently returns and gives Agmar a coin. Exit Illanaun. Agmar, erect again, walks back to the others. AGMAR

We shall need fine raiment ; let the thief start at once. Let it rather be green raiment. 8 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act i

BEGGAR I will go and fetch the thief. (Exit) ULF We will dress ourselves as lords and impose upon the city. OOGNO Yes, yes; we will say we are ambassadors from a far land. ULF And there will be good eating. SLAG (in an undertone to Ulf) But you do not know my master. Now that you have suggested that we shall go as lords, he will make a better suggestion. He will suggest that we should go as kings. ULF Beggars as kings! SLAG Ay. You do not know my master.

ULF ( to Agmar) What do you bid us do? AGMAR You shall first come by the fine raiment in the manner I have mentioned. ULF And what then, master? AGMAR Why, then we shall go as gods. BEGGARS As gods! AGMAR As gods. Know you the land through which I have lately come in my wanderings? Marma, where the ACT i] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 9

gods are carved from green stone in the mountains. They sit all seven of them against the hills. They sit there motionless and travellers worship them. ULF Yes, yes, we know those gods. They are much reverenced here, but they are drowsy and send us nothing beautiful. AGMAE They are of green jade. They sit cross-legged with their right elbows resting on their left hands, the right forefinger pointing upward. We will come into the city disguised, from the direction of Mar- ma, and will claim to be these gods. We must be seven as they are. And when we sit we must sit cross-legged as they do, with the right hand up- lifted. ULF

This is a bad city in which to fall Into the hands of oppressors, for the judges lack amiability here as the merchants lack benevolence, ever since the gods forgot them. AGMAR In our ancient calling a man may sit at one street comer for fifty years doing the one thing, and yet a day may come when it is well for him to rise up and do another thing while the timorous man starves. ULF

Also it were well not to anger the gods. AGMAR

Is not all life a beggary to tlie gods? Do they not see all men always begging of them and asking alms with incense, and bells, and subtle devices? 10 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act i

OOGNO Yes, all men indeed are beggars before the gods. AGMAE Does not the mighty Soldan often sit by the agate altar in his royal temple as we sit at a street corner or by a palace gate? ULF

It is even so. AGMAR Then will the gods be glad when we follow the holy calling with new devices and with subtlety, as they are glad when the priests sing a new song. ULF Yet I have a fear. [Enter two men talking. AGMAR {to Slag) Go you into the city before us and let there be a prophecy there which saith that the gods who are carven from green rock in the mountain shall one day arise in Marma and come here in the guise of men. SLAG Yes, master. Shall I make the prophecy myself? Or shall it be found in some old document? AGMAR Let someone have seen it once in some rare docu- ment. Let it be spoken of in the market place. SLAG It shall be spoken of, master. [^Slag lingers. Enter Thief and Thahn. OOGXO

This is our thief. !

ACT i] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 11

AGMAR {encouragingly/)

Ah, he is a quick thief. THIEF I could only procure you three green raiments, master. The city is not now well supplied with

them; moreover, it is a very suspicious cit}' and without shame for the baseness of its suspicions. SLAG (to a beggar)

This is not thieving. THIEF I could do no more, master. I have not practised thieving all my life. AGMAK You have got something: it may serve our purpose. How long have you been thieving? THIEF I stole first when I was ten. SLAG (m horror) When he was ten AGMAK We must tear them up and divide them amongst the seven. (7^0 Thahn) Bring me another beggar. SLAG When my master was ten he had already to slip by night out of two cities. OOGNO (admiringly) Out of two cities? SLAG (nodding his head) In his native city they do not now know wliat became of the golden cup that stood in the Lunar Temple. AGMAR Yes, into seven pieces. 12 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act i

ULF

We will each wear a piece of it over our rags. GOGXG

Yes, yes, we shall look fine. AGMAE That is not the way that we shall disguise ourselves. OOGNO Not cover our rags? AGMAE No, no. The first who looked closely would say, " These are only beggars. They have disguised themselves." ULF What shall we do.? AGMAR Each of the seven shall wear a piece of the green raiment underneath his rags. And peradventure here and there a little shall show through; and men shall say, " These seven have disguised them- selves as beggars. But we know not what they be." SLAG Hear my wise master. GOGNO (m admiration) He is a beggar. ULF

He is an old beggar.

CUETAIN !

THE SECOND ACT

The Metropolitan Hall of the city of Kongros. Citizens, etc. Enter the seven beggars with green silk under their rags.

OOEANDEE Who are you and whence come you? AGMAR Who may say what we are or whence we come? OORANDER What are these beggars and why do they come here? AGMAR Who said to you that we were beggars? OORANDER Why do these men come here? AGMAR Who said to you that we were men? ILLANAUN Now, by the moon AGMAR My sister. ILLANAUN What? AGMAR My little sister. SLAG Our little sister the moon. She comes to us at evenings away in the mountains of Manna. She 14 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act ii

trips over the mountains when she is young. When

she is young and slender she comes and dances be- fore us, and when she is old and unshapely she hobbles away from the hills. AGMAR

Yet is she young again and forever nimble with youth; yet she comes dancing back. The years are not able to curb her nor to bring gray hairs to her brethren. OORAXDER This is not wonted. ILLANAUN

It is not in accordance with custom. AKMOS Prophecy hath not thought it. SLAG She comes to us new and nimble, remembering olden loves. OORAXDER It were well that prophets should come and speak to us. ILLANAUN This hath not been in the past. Let prophets come. Let prophets speak to us of future things. [The beggars seat themselves upon the floor in the attitude of the seven gods of Marma. CITIZEN I heard men speak to-day in the market place. They speak of a prophecy read somewhere of old. It says the seven gods shall come from Marma in the guise of men. ILLANAUN Is this a true prophecy? ACT ii] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 15

OORANDER It is all the prophecy we have. Man without prophecy is like a sailor going by night over un- charted seas. He knows not where are the rocks nor where the havens. To the man on watch all things ahead are black and the stars guide him not, for he knows not what they are. ILLANAUN Should we not investigate this prophecy? OOEAXDEE

Let us accept it. It is as the small, uncertain light of a lantern, carried it may be by a drunkard, but along the shore of some haven. Let us be guided. AKMOS It may be that they are but benevolent gods. AGMAR There is no benevolence greater than our benevo- lence. ILLANAUN Then we need do little: they portend no danger to us. AGMAR There is no anger greater than our anger. OORANDER Let us make sacrifice to them if they be gods. AKMOS We humbly worship you, if ye be gods. ILLANAUN {kneeling too) You are mightier than all men aiul hold high rank among otlicr gods and arc lords of this our city, and have the thunder as your ])laytliing and the whirlwind and the eclipse and all the destinies of human tribes — If ye be gods. !

16 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act n AGMAR Let the pestilence not fall at once upon this city,

as it had indeed designed to ; let not the earthquake swallow it all immediately up amid the howls of the thunder; let not infuriated armies overwhelm those that escape — if we be gods — POPULACE (m horror) If we be gods OOUANDEie, Come, let us sacrifice. JLLANAUN Bring lambs. AKMOS Quick! Quick! (Exeunt some) SLAG {with solemn air)

This god is a very divine god. THAHN

He is no common god. MLAN Indeed he has made us. CITIZEN (to Slag) He will not punish us, master? None of the gods will punish us? We will make a sacrifice, a good sacrifice. ANOTHER We will sacrifice a lamb that the priests have blessed. FIRST CITIZEN Master, you are not wroth with us? SLAG Who may say what cloudy dooms are rolling up in the mind of the eldest of the gods? He is no common god like us. Once a shepherd went by him ACT ii] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 17

in the mountains and doubted as he went. He sent a doom after that shepherd. CITIZEN Master, we have not doubted. SLAG

And the doom found Iiim on the hills at evening. SECOND CITIZEN It shall be a good sacrifice, master. [Reenter with a dead lamb and fruits. They offer

the lamb on an altar where there is fire, and fruits before the altar. THAHN (stretching out a hand to a lamb upon an

altar) That leg is not being cooked at all. ILLANAUN It is strange that gods should be thus anxious about the cooking of a leg of lamb. OOEANDER

It is strange certainly. ILLANAUN

Almost I had said that it was a man spoke then. OGRAXDEE (stroking his beard and regarding the second beggar) Strange. Strange, certainly. AGMAR Is it then strange that the gods love roasted flesh? For this purpose they keep the lightning. When the lightning flickers about the limbs of men there comes to the gods in Marma a pleasant smell, even a smell of roasting. Sometimes the gods, being pacific, are pleased to have roasted instead the flesh

of lamb. It is all one to the gods; let the roasting stop. OOEANDER No, no, gods of the mountains! 18 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act ii

OTHERS No, no. GORANDER Quick, let us offer the flesh to them. If they eat,

all is well.

[They offer it; the beggars eat, all hut Agmar, who watches. ILLANAUN One who was ignorant, one who did not know, had almost said that they ate like hungry men. OTHERS Hush! AKMOS Yet they look as though they had not had a meal like this for a long time. GORANDER They have a hungry look. AGMAR (^who has not eaten) I have not eaten since the world was very new and the flesh of men was tenderer than now. These younger gods have learned the habit of eating from the lions. GORANDER O oldest of divinities, partake, partake. AGMAR

It is not fitting that such as I should eat. None eat but beasts and men and the younger gods. The sun and the moon and the nimble lightning and I — we may kill and we may madden, but we do not eat. AKMOS If he but eat of our offering he cannot overwhelm us. !

ACT ii] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 19

ALL Oh, ancient deity, partake, partake. AGMAR Enough. Let it be enough that these have con- descended to this bestial and human habit. iLLANAUN {to Akmos) And yet he is not unlike a beggar whom I saw nc so long since. OGRANDER But beggars eat. ILLANAUN Now I never knew a beggar yet who would refuse a bowl of Woldery wine. AKMOS

This is no beggar. ILLANAUN Nevertheless let us offer him a bowl of Woldery wine. AKMOS You do wrong to doubt him. ILLANAUN I do but wish to prove his divinity. I will fetch the Woldery wine, {Exit) AKMOS

He will not drink. Yet if he does, then he will not overwhelm us. Let us offer him the wine. [Reenter Illanaun with a goblet. FIRST BEGGAR

It is Woldery wine SECOND BEGGAR

It is Woldery ! THIRD ni:r,c;AK A goblet of Woldery wine! ! ! !

20 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act ii

FOURTH BEGGAR O blessed day! MLAN O happy times SLAG O my wise master! \_Illanaun takes the goblet. All the beggars stretch out their hands including Agmar. Illanaun gives

it to Agmar. Agmar takes it solemnly, and very carefully pours it upon the ground. FIRST BEGGAR He has spilt it. SECOND BEGGAR He has spilt it. {Agmar sniffs the fumes, loquitur) AGMAR

It is a fitting libation. Our anger is somewhat appeased. ANOTHER BEGGAR But it was Woldery AKMOs {kneeling to Agmar) Master, I am childless, and I — AGMAR

Trouble us not now. It is the hour at which the gods are accustomed to speak to the gods in the language of the gods, and if INIan heard us he would guess the futility of his destiny, which were not

well for Man. Begone ! Begone ONE LINGERS {loquitur) Master — AGMAR

Begone I [Exeunt. Agmar takes up a piece of meat and ACT ii] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 21

hegin.s to eat it; the beggars rise and stretch them- selves: they laugh, but Agmar eats hungrily. OOGNO Ah! Now we have come into our own. THAHN Now we have alms. SLAG Master! My wise master! ULF These are the good days, the good days; and yet I have a fear. SLAG

What do you fear? There is nothing to fear. No man is as wise as my master. ULF I fear the gods whom we pretend to be. SLAG The gods? AGMAE {^taking a chunk of meat from his lips) Come hither, Slag. SLAG (going up to him) Yes, master. AGMAR Watch In the doorway while I eat. (Slag goes to the doorway) Sit in the attitude of a god. Warn me if any of the citizens approach.

[iS'Zflgr sits in the doorway in the attitude of a god, back to the audience. ooGNO (to Agmar) But, master, shall we not have Woldery wiiu-? AGMAR We shall have all things if on\y we are wise at first for a little. 22 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act ii THAHN Master, do any suspect us? AGMAR We must be very wise. THAHN But if we are not wise, master? AGMAR Why, then death may come to us — THAHN master! AGMAR — slowly. \^All stir uneasily except Slag, who sits motionless in the doorway. OOGNO Do they believe us, master? SLAG {half turning his head) Someone comes. [^Slag resumes his position. AGMAR (putting away his meat) We shall soon know now. l^All take up the attitude. Enter One, loquitur. ONE Master, I want the god that does not eat. AGMAR 1 am he. ONE Master, my child was bitten in the throat by a

death-adder at noon. Spare him, master; he still breathes, but slowly. AGMAR Is he indeed your child? !

ACT ii] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 23

ONE He is surely my child, master. AGMAR Was it your wont to thwart him in his play, while he was strong and well? ONE I never thwarted him, master. AGMAR

Whose child is Death? ONE

Death is the child of the gods. AGMAR Do you that never thwarted your child in his play ask this of the gods? ONE (with some horror, perceiving Agmar's meaning) Master AGMAR Weep not. For all the houses that men have builded are the play-fields of this child of the gods. [^The Man goes away in silence, not weeping. ooGxo (taking Thahn by the wrist) Is this indeed a man? AGMAR A man, a man, and until just now a hungry one.

CURTAIN ! !

THE THIRD ACT

Sa/me room. A few days have elapsed. Seven thrones shaped like mountain-crags stand along the back of the stage. On these the beggars are lounging. The Thief is absent.

MLAN Never had beggars such a time. OOGNO Ah, the fruits and tender lamb! THAHN The Woldery wine! SLAG It was better to see my master's wise devices than to have fruit and lamb and Woldery wine. MLAN Ah! When they spied on him to see if he would eat when they went away OOGNO When they questioned him concerning the gods and Man! THAHN When they asked him why the gods permitted cancer SLAG Ah, my wise master! MLAN How well his scheme has succeeded! ACT III] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 25

OOGNO How far away is hunger! THAHN It is even like to one of last 3'ear's dreams, the trouble of a brief night long ago. OOGNO (laughing)

Ho, ho, ho ! To see them pray to us. A6MAB, When we were beggars did we not speak as beggars.'' Did we not whine as they.'' Was not our mien

beggarly .'* OOGXO We were the pride of our calling. A6MAB Then now that we are gods, let us be as gods, and not mock our worshippers. ULF I think that the gods do mock their worshippers. A6MAR The gods have never mocked us. We are above all pinnacles that we have ever gazed at in dreams. ULF I think that when man is high then most of all are the gods wont to mock him. THIEF (entering)

Master ! I have been with those that know all and

see all. I have been with the thieves, master. They know me for one of the craft, but they do not know me as being one of us. AGMAR Well, well! THIEF

There is danger, master, there is great danger. !

26 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act m AGMAR You mean that they suspect that we are men. THIEF That they have long done, master. I mean that

they will know it. Then we are lost. AGMAR

Then they do not know it. THIEF

They do not know it yet, but they will know it, and we are lost. AGMAR

When will they know it.'' THIEF Three days ago they suspected us. AGMAR More than you think suspected us, but have any

dared to say so.'' THIEF No, master. AGMAR Then forget your fears, my thief. THIEF Two men went on dromedaries three days ago to see if the gods were still at Marma. AGMAR They went to Marma! THIEF Yes, three days ago. GOGNO We are lost AGMAR They went three days ago.^ !

ACT m] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 27

THIEF Yes, on dromedaries. AGMAR They should be back to-day. OOGNO We are lost THAHN We are lost! THIEF They must have seen the green jade idols sitting against the mountains. They will say, " The gods

are still at Marma." And we shall be burnt. SLAG My master will yet devise a plan. AGMAR {to the Thief) Slip away to some high place and look toward the desert and see how long we have to devise a plan. SLAG My master will find a plan. OOGNO He has taken us into a trap. THAHN His wisdom is our doom. SLAG He will find a wise plan yet. THIEF {reentering)

It is too late! AGMAR

It is too late! THIEF The dromedary men are here. OOGNO We are lost! 28 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act m

AGMAR Be silent! I must think.

[They all sit still. Citizens enter and prostrate themselves. Agmar sits deep in thought. ILLANAUN {to Agmar) Two holy pilgrims have gone to your sacred shrines, wherem you were wont to sit before you left the mountains. {Agmar says nothing) They return even now. AGMAU They left us here and went to find the gods? A fish once took a journey into a far country to find the sea. ILLANAUN

Most reverend deity, their piety is so great that they have gone to worship even your shrines. AGMAR I know these men that have great piety. Such men have often prayed to me before, but their prayers

are not acceptable. They little love the gods ; their

only care is their piety. I know these pious ones. They will say that the seven gods were still at Marma, They will lie and say that we were still at Marma. So shall they seem more pious to you

all, pretending that they alone have seen the gods. Fools shall believe them and share in their dam- nation. ooRANDER (to IllanauTi) Hush! You anger the gods. ILLANAUN I am not sure whom I anger. OORANDER It may be they are the gods. ACT III] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 29

ILLAXAUN Where are these men from Marma? CITIZEN Here are the dromedary men; they are coming now. ILLAXAUX (to Agmar) The holy pilgrims from your shrine are come to worship you. AGMAE The men are doubters. How the gods hate the

word ! Doubt ever contaminated virtue. Let them be cast into prison and not besmirch 3^our purity. (Rising) Let them not enter here. ILLAXAL'X But oh, most reverend deity from the Mountain, we also doubt, most reverend deity. AGMAR

You have chosen. You have chosen. And yet it

is not too late. Repent and cast these men in prison

and it may not be too late. The gods have never wept. And yet when they think upon damnation and the dooms that are withering a myriad bones, then almost, were they not divine, they could weep. Be quick! Repent of your doubt. [Enter the Dromedary Men. ILLAXArX

Most reverend deity, it is a mighty doubt. CITIZEXS Nothing has killed him! They arc not the gods! SLAG (to Agmar) You have a jjlun, my master. You have a j)lan. AGMAE Not yet. Slag. !

30 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act hi

ILLANAUN {to Oorauder) These are the men that went to the shrines at Manna. ooRANDER (m « loud, cleav voice) Were the Gods of the Mountain seated still at Marma, or were they not there? [^The beggars get up hurriedl'y from their thrones. DROMEDARY MAN They were not there. ILLANAUN They were not there? DROMEDARY MAN Their shrines were empty. OORANDER Behold the Gods of the Mountain AKMOS They have indeed come from Marma. OORANDER Come. Let us go away to prepare a sacrifice. A mighty sacrifice to atone for our doubting. {Ex- eunt) SLAG My most wise master! AGMAR No, no, Slag. I do not know what has befallen. When I went by Marma only two weeks ago the idols of green jade were still seated there. GOGNO We are saved now. THAHN Ay, we are saved. AGMAR We are saved, but I know not how. ACT ui] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 31

OOGXO Never had beggars such a time. THIEF I will go out and watch. (He creeps out) ULF Yet I have a fear. OOGNO A fear? Why, we are saved. ULF Last night I dreamed. OOGXO What was your dream? ULF It was nothing, I dreamed that I was thirsty and one gave me Woldery wine; yet there was a fear in my dream. THAHN When I drink Woldery wine I am afraid of nothing. THIEF (reentering) They are making a pleasant banquet ready for us; they are killing lambs, and girls are there with

fruits, and there is to be much Woldery wine. MLAN Never had beggars such a time. AGMAR Do any doubt us now? THIEF I do not know. MLAN When will the banquet be? THIKF When the stars come out.

1 32 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act hi

OOGNO

Ah ! It is sunset already. There will be good eating. THAHN We shall see the girls come in with baskets upon their heads. OOGNO There will be fruits in the baskets. THAHN All the fruits of the valley. MLAN Oh, how long we have wandered along the ways of the world! SLAG Oh, how hard they were! THAHN And how dusty! OOGNO And how little wine! MLAN How long we have asked and asked, and for how much! AGMAR We to whom all things are coming now at last! THIEF I fear lest my art forsake me now that good things come without stealing. AGMAE You will need your art no longer. SLAG The wisdom of my master shall suffice us all our days. ACT III] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 33

lEnter a frightened Man. He kneels before Agmar and abases his forehead. MAN Master, we implore you, the people beseech you. l^Agmar and the beggars in the attitude of the gods sit silent. MAN Master, it is terrible. (The beggars maintain si- lence) It is terrible when you wander in the even-

ing. It is terrible on the edge of the desert in the evening. Children die when they see you. AGMAR

In the desert.'' When did you see us.^* MAN Last night, master. You were terrible last night. You were terrible in the gloaming. When your hands were stretched out and groping. You were feeling for the city. AGMAR Last night do you say.'' MAN You were terrible in the gloaming! AGMAR

You yourself saw us.'' MAN Yes, master, you were terrible. Children too saw you and they died. AGMAR You say you saw us? MAN Yes, master. Not as you are now, but otherwise. We implore you, master, not to wander at evening. You are terrible in the gloaming. You are — 34 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act iii AGMAR You say we appeared not as we are now. How did we appear to you? MAN Otherwise, master, otherwise. AGMAE But how did we appear to you? MAN

You were all green, master, all green in the gloam- ing, all of rock again as you used to be in the moun- tains. Master, we can bear to see you in flesh like

men, but when we see rock walking it is terrible, it

is terrible. AGMAR

That is how we appeared to you? MAN Yes, master. Rock should not walk. When chil- dren see it they do not understand. Rock should not walk in the evening. AGMAR There have been doubters of late. Are they sat- isfied? MAN Master, they are terrified. Spare us, master. AGMAR

It is wrong to doubt. Go and be faithful. [^Exit Man. SLAG What have they seen, master? AGMAR They have seen their own fears dancing in the desert. They have seen something green after the light was ACT ra] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 35

gone, and some child has told them a tale that it was us. I do not know what they have seen. What

should they have seen.'' ULF Something was coming this way from the desert, he said. SLAG What should come from the desert? AGMAE They are a foolish people. ULF That man's white face has seen some frightful thing. SLAG A frightful thing? ULF That man's face has been near to some frightful thing. AGMAR

It is only we that have frightened them and their fears have made them foolish. [Enter an Attendant with a torch or lantern which he places in a receptacle. Exit. THAHN Now we shall see the faces of the girls when they come to the banquet. MLAN" Never had beggars such a time. AGMAR Hark! They arc coming. I hear footsteps. THAHN The dancing girls! They are coming! !

36 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act hi

THIEF

There is no sound of flutes, they said they would come with music. OOGNO What heavy boots they have; they sound like feet of stone. THAHN I do not like to hear their heavy tread. Those that would dance to us must be light of foot. AGMAR I shall not smile at them if they are not airy. MLAN They are coming very slowly. They should come nimbly to us. THAHN They should dance as they come. But the footfall is like the footfall of heavy crabs. ULF (in a loud voice, almost chanting) I have a fear, an old fear and a boding. We have

done ill in the sight of the seven gods. Beggars we were and beggars we should have remained. We have given up our calling and come in sight of our doom. I will no longer let my fear be silent; it

shall run about and cry ; it shall go from me crying, like a dog from out of a doomed city; for my fear has seen calamity and has known an evil thing. SLAG (hoarsely/) Master AGMAR {rising) Come, come! \_They listen. No one speaTcs. The stony hoots come on. Enter in single fie through door in right of back, a procession of seven green men, even hands !

ACT m] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 37

and faces are green; they wear greenstone sandals; they walk with knees extremely wide apart, as hav- ing sat cross-legged for centuries; their right arms and right forefingers point upward, right elbows resting on right hands; they stoop grotesquely. Halfway to the footlights they left wheel. They pa^s in front of the seven beggars, now in terrified attitudes, and six of them sit dozvn in the attitude described, with their backs to the audience. The leader stands, still stooping. ooGNO {cries out just as they wheel left) The Gods of the Mountain AGMAR (hoarsely)

Be still ! They are dazzled by the light. They may not see us. \^The leading Green Thing points his forefinger at the lantern — the flame turns green. When the six are seated the leader points one by one at each of the seven beggars, shooting out his forefinger at them. As he does this each beggar in his turn gathers himself back on to his throne and crosses

his legs, his right arm goes stiffly upward with fore- finger erect, and a staring look of horror comes into his eyes. In this attitude the beggars sit motions- less while a green light falls upon their faces. The gods go out. Presently enter the Citizens, some with victuals and fruit. One touches a beggar's arm and then another's. CITIZEN They are cold; they have turned to stone. [All abase themselves, foreheads to the floor. ONE We have doubted them. We have doubted them. 38 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act hi

They have turned to stone because we have doubted them. ANOTHER They were the true gods. ALL They were the true gods.

CURTAIN THE GOLDEN DOOM PERSONS

The Kixg Chamberlain Chief Prophet Girl Boy Spies First Prophet Second Prophet First Sentry Second Sentry Stranger Attendants

Scene: Outside the King^s great door in Zericon.

Time: Some while before the fall of Babylon. !

THE GOLDEN DOOM

Two Sentries pace to and fro, tlien halt, one on each side of the great door.

FIRST SENTRY The day is deadly sultry. SECOND SENTRY I would that I were swimming down the Gyshon, on the cool side, under the fruit trees. FIRST SENTRY

It is like to thunder or the fall of a dynasty. SECOND SENTRY

It will grow cool by night-fall. Where is the King.? FIRST SENTRY He rows in his golden barge with ambassadors or whispers with captains concerning future wars. The stars spare him SECOND SENTRY Why do you say " the stars spare him ".'' FIRST SENTRY

Because if a doom from the stars fall suddenly on a king it swallows up his people and all things round about him, antl his palace falls and the walls of his city and citadel, and the apes come in from the woods and the large beasts from the desert, so that you would not say that a king had been there at all. 42 THE GOLDEN DOOM

SECOND SEKTRY But why should a doom from the stars fall on the King? FIEST SENTRY Because he seldom placates them. SECOND SENTRY Ah! I have heard that said of him. FIRST SENTRY Who are the stars that a man should scorn them? Should they that rule the thunder, the plague and the earthquake withhold these things save for much prayer? Always ambassadors are with the King, and his commanders, come in from distant lands, prefects of cities and makers of the laws, but never the priests of the stars. SECOND SENTRY Hark! Was that thunder? FIRST SENTRY Believe me, the stars are angry. [Enter a Stranger. He wanders toward the King's door, gazing about him. SENTRIES {lifting their spears at him) Go back! Go back! STRANGER Why? FIRST SENTRY

It is death to touch the King's door. STRANGER I am a stranger from Thessaly. FIRST SENTRY

It is death even for a stranger. STRANGER Your door is strangely sacred. THE GOLDEN DOOM 43

FIRST SENTRY

It is death to touch it.

l^The Stranger wanders off. [Enter two children hand in hand. BOY {to the Sentry) I want to see the King to pray for a hoop. [The Sentry smiles. BOY {pushes the door; to girl)

I cannot open it. {To the Sentry) Will it do as

well if I pray to the King's door.'' SEXTRY Yes, quite as well. {Turns to talk to the other Sentry) Is there anyone in sight.'' SECOND SENTRY {shading his eyes) Nothing but a dog, and he far out on the plain. FIRST SENTRY Then we can talk awhile and eat bash. BOY King's door, I want a little hoop. [The Sentries take a little hash between finger and thumb from pouches and put that wholly forgotten drug to their lips. GIRL {pointing) My father is a taller soldier than that. BOY My father can write. He taught me. GIRL

Ho! Writing frightens nobody. My father is a soldier. BOY

I have a lump of gold. I found it in tlie stream that runs down to Gyshon. 44 THE GOLDEN DOOM

GIRL

I have a poem. I found it in my own head. BOY Is it a long poem? GIRL

No. But it would have been only there were no more rhymes for sky. BOY

What is your poem.'' GIRL I saw a purple bird Go up against the sky And it went up and up And round about did fly. BOY

I saw it die. GIRL That does n't scan. BOY Oh, that does n't matter. GIRL Do you like my poem-f* BOY Birds are n't purple. GIRL My bird was. BOY Oh! GIRL Oh, you don't like my poem! BOY Yes, I do. !

THE GOLDEN DOOM 45

GIRL

No, you don't; you think it horrid. BOY No. I don't. GIRL

Yes, you do. Why did n't you say you liked it.f* It is the only poem I ever made. BOY

I do like it. I do like it. GIRL You don't, you don't BOY

Don't be angry. I '11 write it on the door for you. GIRL

You '11 write it.'' BOY Yes, I can write it. My father taught me. I '11 write it with my lump of gold. It makes a yellow mark on the iron door. GIRL

Oh, do write it ! I would like to see it written like real poetry. [The Boy begins to write. The Girl watches. FIRST SENTRY You see, we '11 be fighting again soon. SECOND SENTRY Only a little war. We never have more than a little war with the hill-folk. FIRST SENTRY When a man goes to fight, the curtains of tlie gods wax tliickor than ever l)efore between his ryes and the future; he may go to a great or to a little war. 46 THE GOLDEN DOOM

SECOND SENTRY There can only be a little war with the hill-folk. FIRST SENTRY Yet sometimes the gods laugh. SECOND SENTRY At whom? FIRST SENTRY At kings. SECOND SENTRY Why have you grown uneasy about this war in the hills? FIRST SENTRY Because the King is powerful beyond any of his fathers, and has more fighting men, more horses, and wealth that could have ransomed his father and his grandfather and dowered their queens and daugh-

ters ; and every year his miners bring him more from the opal-mines and from the turquoise-quarries. He has grown very mighty. SECOND SENTRY Then he will the more easily crush the hill-folk in a little war. FIRST SENTRY When kings grow very mighty the stars grow very jealous. BOY I 've written your poem. GIRL Oh, have you really? BOY Yes, I '11 read it to you. {He reads) I saw a purple bird Go up against the sky THE GOLDEN D00:M 47

And it went up and up And round about did fly.

I saw it die. GIRL It does n't scan. BOY That does n't matter. [Enter furtively a Spy, who crosses stage and goes out. The Sentries cease to talk, GIRL That man frightens me. BOY He is only one of the King's spies. GIRL But I don't like the King's spies. They frighten me. BOY

Come on, then, we '11 run away. SENTRY {noticvng the children again)

Go awaj-, go away ! The King is coming, he will eat you. [The Boy throws a stone at the Sentry and runs out. Enter another Spy, who crosses the stage. Enter third Spy, who notices the door. He exam- ines it and utters an owl-like whistle. No. 2 comes back. They do not speak. Both whistle. No. 3 comes. All examine the door. Enter the King and his Chamberlain. The King wears a purple robe. The Sentries smartly transfer their spears to their left hands and return their right arms to their right sides. They then lower their spears until their points are within an inch of the ground, at the same time raising tlieir right Jiands above their heads. They 48 THE GOLDEN DOOM

stand for some moments thus. Then they lower their right arms to their right sides, at the same time rais- ing their spears. In the next motion they take their spears into their right hands and lower the butts to the floor, where they were before, the spears slant- ing forward a little. Both Sentries must move to- gether precisely. FIRST SPY {runs forward to the King and kneels, abas- ing his forehead to the floor) Something has writ- ten on the iron door. CHAMBEELAIN On the iron door! KING

Some fool has done it. Who has been here since yesterday?

FIRST SENTRY {shift s his hand a little higher on his spear, brings the spear to his side and closes his heels

all in one motion; he then takes one pace backward with his right foot; then he kneels on his right knee; when he has done this he speaks, but not before) Nobody, Majesty, but a stranger from Thessaly. KING Did he touch the iron door? FIRST SENTRY No, Majesty; he tried to, but we drove him away. KING How near did he come? FIRST SENTRY Nearly to our spears, Majesty. KING What was his motive in seeking to touch the iron door? THE GOLDEX DOOM 49

FIRST SENTRY I do not know, Majesty. KLNG Which way did he go? FIRST SENTRY (pointing left) That way, Majesty, an hour ago. [The King whispers with one of his Spies, who stoops and examines the ground and steals away. The Sentry rises. KING {to his two remaining Spies) What does this writing say? A SPY We cannot read, Majesty. KING A good spy should know everything. SECOND SPY We watch, Majesty, and we search out. Majesty. We read shadows, and we read footprints, and whis- pers in secret places. But we do not read writing. KING (to the Chamberlain)

See what it is. CHAMBERLAIN {goes up and reads)

It is treason. Majesty. KING

Read it. CHAMBERLAIN I saw a purple bird Go up against the sky,

And it went up and up And round about did fly.

I saw it die. FIRST SENTRY (aside) The stars have spoken. 50 THE GOLDEN DOOM

KING {to the Sentry) Has anyone been here but the stranger from Thes- saly? SENTRY (^kneeling as before) Nobody, Majesty. KING You saw nothing? FIRST SENTRY Nothing but a dog far out upon the plain and the children of the guard at play. KING {to the Second Sentry) And you? SECOND SENTRY (kneeling) Nothing, Majesty. CHAMBERLAIN

That is strange. KING

It is some secret warning. CHAMBERLAIN

It is treason. KING

It is from the stars. CHAMBERLAIN No, no, Majesty. Not from the stars, not from the

stars. Some man has done it. Yet the thing should be interpreted. Shall I send for the prophets of the stars? \^The King beckons to his Spies. They run up to him. KING Find me some prophet of the stars. (Exeunt Spies) I fear that we may go no more, my chamberlain, along the winding ways of unequalled Zericon, nor THE GOLDEN DOOM 51

play dahoori with the golden balls. I have thought more of my people than of the stars and more of Zericon tlian of windy Heaven. CHAMBERLAIN Believe me, Majesty, some idle man has written it

and passed b}'. Your spies shall find him, and then his name will be soon forgotten. KING Yes, yes. Perhaps you are right, tliough the sen- tries saw no one. No doubt some beggar did it. CHAMBERLAIN

Yes, Majesty, some beggar has surely done it. But look, here come two prophets of the stars. They

shall tell us that this is idle. lEnter two Prophets and a Boy attending them. All how deeply to the King. The two Spies steal in again and stand at back. KING Some beggar has written a rhyme on the iron gate, and as the ways of rhyme are known to you I de- sired you, rather as poets than as prophets, to say whether there was any meaning in it. CHAMBERLAIN

'T is but an idle rhyme. FIRST PROPHET (bows again and goes up to door. He glances at the writing) Come hither, servant of those that serve the stars. [Attendant approaches. FIRST PROPHET Bring hither our golden cloaks, for this may be a matter for rejoicing; and bring our green cloaks also, for this may tell of young new beautiful things 52 THE GOLDEN DOOM

with which the stars will one day gladden the King; and bring our black cloaks also, for it may be a doom. [Exit the Boy; the Prophet goes up to the door and reads solemnly) The stars have spoken. [^Re'enter Attendant with cloaks. KING I tell you that some beggar has written this. FIRST PROPHET

It is written in pure gold. (^He dons the black cloak over body and head) KING

What do the stars mean.'' What warning is it.'' FIRST PROPHET I cannot say. KING (to Second Prophet)

Come you then and tell us what the warning is. SECOND PROPHET (gocs up to the door and reads) The stars have spoken. {He cloaks himself in black) KING

What is it? What does it mean.? SECOND PROPHET We do not know, but it is from the stars. CHAMBERLAIN

It is a harmless thing; there is no harm in it, Maj- esty. Why should not birds die? KING Why have the prophets covered themselves In black? CHAINIBERLAIN They are a secret people and look for inner mean-

ings. There is no harm in it. KING They have covered themselves in black. THE GOLDEN DOOM 53

CHAMBERLAIN They have not spoken of any evil thing. They have

not spoken of it. KING If the people see the prophets covered in black they will say that the stars are against me and believe that my luck has turned. CHAMBERLAIN The people must not know. KING Some prophet must interpret to us the doom. Let the chief prophet of the stars be sent for.

CHAMBERLAIN (go'ing toward left exit) Summon the chief prophet of the stars that look on Zcricon. VOICES OFF The chief prophet of the stars. The chief prophet of the stars. CHAMBERLAIN I have summoned the chief prophet, Majesty. KING If he interpret this aright I will put a necklace of turquoises round his neck with opals from the mines. CHAMBERLAIN

He will not fail. He is a very cunning interpreter. KING

What if he covers himself with a huge black cloak and does not speak and goes muttering away, slowly

with bended head, till our fear spreads to the sen- tries and they cry aloud? CHAMBERLAIN

This is no doom from the stars, but some idle scribe !

64 THE GOLDEN DOOM

hath written it in his insolence upon the iron door, wasting his hoard of gold. KING Not for myself I have a fear of doom, not for my- self; but I inherited a rocky land, windy and ill- nurtured, and nursed it to prosperity by years of peace and spread its boundaries by years of war. I have brought up harvests out of barren acres and given good laws unto naughty towns, and my people are happy, and lo, the stars are angry CHAMBERLAIN

It is not the stars, it is not the stars. Majesty, for the prophets of the stars have not interpreted it. Indeed, it was only some reveller wasting his gold. [Meanwhile enter Chief Prophet of the stars that look on Zericon. KING Chief Prophet of the Stars that look on Zericon, I would have you interpret the rhyme upon yonder door. CHIEF PROPHET {goes up to the door and reads)

It is from the stars. KING Interpret it and you shall have great turquoises round your neck, with opals from the mines in the frozen mountains. CHIEF PROPHET {cloaks himself like the others in a great black cloak) Who should wear purple in the land but a King, or who go up against the sky but he who has troubled the stars by neglecting their ancient worship? Such a one has gone up and up increasing power and wealth, such a one has soared above the crowns of those that went before him, THE GOLDEN DOOM 55

such a one the stars have doomed, the undying ones, the illustrious. [A pause. _ KING Who wrote it? CHIEF PROPHET

It is pure gold. Some god has written it. CHAMBERLAIN Some god? CHIEF PROPHET Some god whose home is among the undying stars. FIRST SENTRY (aslde to the Second Sentry) Last night I saw a star go flaming earthward. KING Is this a warning or is it a doom? CHIEF PROPHET The stars have spoken. KING

It is, then, a doom? CHIEF PROPHET They speak not in jest. KING

I have been a great King — Let it be said of me " The stars overthrew him, and they sent a god for his doom." For I have not met my equal among kings that man should overthrow me; and I have not oppressed my people that man should rise up against me. CHIEF PROPHET

It is better to give worship to the stars than to do

good to man. It is better to be humble before the gods than proud in the face of your enemy though he do evil. 56 THE GOLDEN DOOM

KING Let the stars hearken yet and I will sacrifice a child to them — I will sacrifice a girl child to the twinkling stars and a male child to the stars that blink not, the stars of the steadfast eyes. (To his Spies) Let a boy and girl be brought for sacri- fice. (^Exit a Spy to the right looking at footprints) Will you accept this sacrifice to the god that the stars have sent,'' They say that the gods love children. CHIEF PROPHET I may refuse no sacrifice to the stars nor to the gods whom they send. {To the other Prophets) Make ready the sacrificial knives. [The Prophets draw knives and sharpen them. KING

Is it fitting that the sacrifice take place by the iron door where the god from the stars has trod, or

must it be in the temple .'^ CHIEF PROPHET Let it be offered by the iron door. {To the other Prophets) Fetch hither the altar stone.

{The owl-like whistle is heard off right. The Third Spy runs crouching toward it. Exit. KING Will this sacrifice avail to avert the doom? CHIEF PROPHET Who knows.'' KING

I fear that even yet the doom will fall. CHIEF PROPHET It were wise to sacrifice some greater thing. THE GOLDEN DOOM 57

KING What more can a man offer? CHIEF PROPHET His pride. KING What pride? CHIEF PROPHET Your pride that went up against the sky and troubled the stars. KING How shall I sacrifice my pride to the stars? CHIEF PROPHET

It is upon your pride that the doom will fall, and will take away your crown and will take away your kingdom. KING I will sacrifice my crown and reign uncrowned amongst you, so only I save my kingdom. CHIEF PROPHET If you sacrifice your crown which is your pride,

and if the stars accept it, perhaps the god that they sent may avert the doom and you may still reign in your kingdom though humbled and un- crowned. KING Shall I burn my crown with spices and with incense

or cast it into the sea? CHIEF PROPHET Let it be laid here by the iron door where the god came who wrote the golden doom. When he comes again by night to shrivel up the city or to pour an enemy in through the iron door, he will see your 58 THE GOLDEN DOOM

cast-off pride and perhaps accept it and take it away to the neglected stars. KING {to the Chamberlain) Go after my spies and say that I make no sacrifice. (Exit the Chamberlain to the right; the King takes

off his crown) Good-bye, my brittle glory; kings have sought you; the stars have envied you. {The stage grows darker) CHIEF PROPHET Even now the sun has set who denies the stars, and

the day is departed wherein no gods walk abroad.

It is near the hour when spirits roam the earth and all things that go unseen, and the faces of the abid- ing stars will be soon revealed to the fields. Lay your crown there and let us come away. KING {lays his crown before the iron door; then to the Sentries) Go! And let no man come near the door all night. THE SENTRIES {kneeling) Yes, Majesty. l^They remain kneeling until after the King has gone. King and the Chief Prophet walk away. CHIEF PROPHET

It was your pride. Let it be forgotten. May the

stars accept it. (Exeunt left) [The Sentries rise. FIRST SENTRY The stars have envied him! SECOND SENTRY

It is an ancient crown. He wore it well. FIRST SENTRY

May the stars accept it. THE GOLDEN DOOM 59

SECOND SENTRY

If they do not accept it what doom will overtake him? FIRST SENTRY It will suddenly be as though there were never any city of Zericon nor two sentries like you and me standing before the door. SECOND SENTRY Why! How do you know? FIRST SENTRY

That is ever the way of the gods. SECOND SENTRY

But it is unjust. FIRST SENTRY How should the gods know that? SECOND SENTRY

Will it happen to-night? FIRST SENTRY Come! we must march away. (Exeunt right) [The stage grows increasingly darker. Reenter the Chamberlain from the right. He walks across the Stage and goes out to the left. Reenter Spies from the right. They cross the stage, which is now nearly dark. BOY (enters from the right, dressed in white, his hands out a little, crying) King's door, King's door, I want my little hoop. (He goes up to the King's door. When he sees the King's crown there, he utters a

satisfied) 0-oh ! (He takes it up, puts it on the

ground, ami, heating it before him with the sceptre, goes out by the way that he entered) [The great door opens; there is light within; a fur- tive Spy slips out and sees that the crown is gone. 60 THE GOLDEN DOOM

Another Spy slips out. Their crouching heads come close together. FIRST SPY (^hoarse whisper) The gods have come! [^They run hack through the door and the door is closed. It opens again and the King and the Cham- herlavn come through. KING The stars are satisfied.

CUETAIN KING ARGIMEXES AND THE UNKNOWN WARRIOR PERSONS

King Argimenes Zaub, a slave horn of slaves An Old Slave Slaves of King Darniak A Young Slave Slaves King Darniak The King's Overseer A Prophet The Idol-Guard The Servant of the King's Dog Queen Atharlia Queen Oxara Queens of King Darniak Queen Cahafra Queen Thragolind Guards and Attendants

Time: A long time ago. KING ARGIMENES AND THE UNKNOWN WARRIOR

THE FIRST ACT

The dinner-hour on the slave-fields of King Darniak. King Argimenes is sitting upon the ground, bowed, ragged and dirty, gnawing a hone. He has uncouth hair and a dishevelled beard. A battered spade lies near him. Two or three slaves sit at back of stage eating raw cabbage-leaves. The tear-song, the chant of tlie low-born, rises at intervals, monotonous and mournful, coming from distant slave-fields.

KIXG ARGIMENES

This is a good bone; there is juice in this bone. ZARB I wish I were you, Argimenes. KING ARGIMENES I am not to be envied any longer. I have eaten up my bone. ZARB I wish I were you, because you have been a king. Because men have prostrated themselves before your feet. Because you have ridden a horse and worn a crown and have been called Majesty. KING ARGIMENES

When I remember that I have been a king it is very terrible. 6^ KING ARGIMENES [act i

ZARB But you are lucky to have such things in your memory as you have. I have nothing in my memory — Once I went for a year without being flogged, and I remember my cleverness in contriving it — I have nothing else to remember. KING ARGIMENES

It is very terrible to have been a king. ZARB But we have nothing who have no good memories

in the past. It is not easy for us to hope for the future here. KING ARGIMENES Have you any god? ZARB We may not have a god because he might make us brave and we might kill our guards. He might make a miracle and give us swords. KING ARGIMENES Ah, you have no hope, then. ZARB I have a little hope. Hush, and I will tell you a

secret — The King's great dog is ill and like to die. They will throw him to us. We shall have beautiful bones then. KING ARGIMENES

Ah ! Bones. ZARB

Yes. That is what / hope for. And have you no other hope? Do you not hope that your nation will arise some day and rescue you and cast off the king and hang him up by his thumbs from the palace gateway? !

ACT i] KING ARGIMEXES 65

KING AKGIMEXES No. I have no other hope, for my god was cast down in the temple and broken into three pieces on the day that they surprised us and took me sleep- ing. But will they throw him to us? Will so honorable a brute as the King's dog be thrown

to us.'* ZARB

When he is dead his honors are taken away. Even

the King when he is dead is given to the worms.

Then why should not his dog be thrown to us.'' KING ARGIMENES We are not worms ZAEB You do not understand, Argimenes. The worms are little and free, while we are big and enslaved. I did not say we were worms, but we are like worms, and if they have the King when he is dead, why then — KING ARGIMENES Tell me more of the King's dog. Are there big bones on him? ZARB Ay, he is a big dog — a high, big, black one. KING ARGIMENES You know him then? ZARB Oh yes, I know him. I know him well. I was beaten once because of him, twenty-five strokes from the treble whips, two men beating me. KING ARGIMENES How did they beat you because of the King's dog? ZARB They beat me because I spoke to hlin without mak- 66 KING ARGIMENES [act i

ing obeisance. He was coming dancing alone over the slave-fields and I spoke to him. He was a friendly great dog, and I spoke to him and patted his head, and did not make obeisance. KING ARGIMENES And they saw you do it? ZAEB Yes, the slave-guard saw me. They came and seized me at once and bound my arms. The great dog wanted me to speak to him again, but I was hur- ried away. KING ARGIMENES You should have made obeisance. ZARB The great dog seemed so friendly that I forgot he was the King's great dog. KING ARGIMENES But tell me more. Was he hurt or is it a sickness.'' ZARB They say that it is a sickness. KING ARGIMENES Ah, then he will grow thin if he does not die soon.

If it had been a hurt ! — but we should not com- plain. I complain more often than you do because I had not learned to submit while I was yet young. ZARB If your beautiful memories do not please you, you should hope more. I wish I had your memories. I should not trouble to hope then. It is very hard to hope. KING ARGIMENES There will be nothing more to hope for when we have eaten the King's dog. ACT i] KING ARGIMENES 67

ZAEB Why, }"ou might find gold in the earth while you were digging. Then you might bribe the com- mander of the guard to lend you his sword; we would all follow you if you had a sword. Then we might take the King and bind him and lay him on the ground and fasten his tongue outside his mouth with thorns and put honey on it and sprinkle honey near. Then the gray ants would come from one of their big mounds. My father found gold once when he was digging. KING ARGIMENES {pointedly/) Did your father free himself.'* ZARB No. Because the King's Overseer found him looking at the gold and killed him. But he would have freed himself if he could have bribed the guard. [A Prophet zcalks across the stage attended hy two guards. SLAVES

He is going to the King. He is going to the King. ZARB

He is going to the King. KING ARGIMENES Going to prophesy good things to the King. It

is easy to prophesy good things to a king, and be rewarded when the good things come. What else should come to a king? A prophet! A prophet! [A deep hell tolls slowly. King Argimenes and Zarh pick up their spades at once, and the old slaves at the hack of the stage go down on their knees imme- diately and grub in the soil zcitk their hands. The 68 KING ARGIMENES [act i

white beard of the oldest trails in the dirt as he works. King Argimenes digs. KING AKGIMENES

What is the name of that song that we always sing? I like the song. ZARB

It has no name. It is our song. There is no other song. KING ARGIMENES Once there were other songs. Has this no name.'* ZARB

I think the soldiers have a name for it. KING ARGIMENES What do the soldiers call li? ZARB The soldiers call it the tear-song, the chant of the low-born. KING ARGIMENES

It is a good song. I could sing no other now. [Zarh moves away digging.

KING ARGIMENES {to himself tts Ms spade touches some- thing in the earth) Metal! (Feels with his spade

again) Gold perhaps ! — It is of no use here. (Uncovers earth leisurely. Suddenly he drops on his Jcnees and works excitedly in the earth with his

hands. Then very slowly, still kneeling, he lifts, lying flat on his hands, a long greenish sword, his eyes intent on it. About the level of his uplifted forehead he holds it, still flat on both hands, and addresses it thus) O holy and blessed thing! (Then

he lowers it slowly till his hands rest on his knees, and looking all the while at the sword, loquitur) Three years ago to-morrow King Damiak spat at ACT i] KING ARGIMENES 69

me, having taken my kingdom from me. Three times in that year I was flogged, with twelve stripes, with seventeen stripes, and with twenty stripes. A year and eleven months ago, come Moon-day, the King's Overseer struck me in the face, and nine times in that year he called me dog. For one month two weeks and a day I was yoked with a bullock and pulled a rounded stone all day over the paths, except while we were fed. I was flogged twice that year — with eighteen stripes and with ten stripes. This year the roof of the slave-sty has fallen in and King Darniak will not repair it. Five weeks ago one of his Queens laughed at me as she came across the slave-fields. I was flogged again this year and with thirteen stripes, and twelve times they have called me dog. And these things they have done to a king, and a king of the House of Ithara. (He listens attentively/ for a moment, then buries the sword again and pats the earth over it with his hands, then digs again) [The old slaves do not see him: their faces are to the earth. Enter the King's Overseer carri/ing a whip. The slaves and King Argimenes kneel with their foreheads to the ground as he passes across the stage. Exit the King's Overseer. KING AEGiMENES (kneeling, hands outspread downward) O warrior spirit, wherever thou wanderest, whoever be thy gods, whether they punish thee or whether they bless thee, O kingly spirit, that once laid here this sword, behold, I pray to thee, having no gods to pray to, for the god of my nation was broken in three by night. Mine arm is stiff with tlirce years' slavery, and remembers not the sword. But guide 70 KING ARGIMENES [act i

thy sword till I have slain six men and armed the strongest slaves, and thou shalt have the sacrifice every year of a hundred goodly oxen. And I will build in Ithara a temple to thy memory wherein all that enter in shall remember thee; so shalt thou be honored and envied among the dead, for the dead are very jealous of remembrance. Ay, though thou wert a robber that took men's lives unrighteously, yet shall rare spices smoulder in thy temple and little maidens sing and new-plucked flowers deck the

solemn aisles ; and priests shall go about it ringing bells that thy soul shall find repose. Oh, but it has a good blade, this old green sword; thou wouldst not like to see it miss its mark (if the dead see at all, as wise men teach), thou wouldst not like to see

it go thirsting into the air; so huge a sword should find its marrowy bone. (Extending his right hand upward) Come into my right arm, O ancient spirit,

unknown warrior's soul ! And if thou hast the ear of any gods, speak there against Illuriel, god of King Darniak. {He rises and goes on digging) THE king's overseer (reentering) So you have been praying. KING ARGIMENES (kneeling) No, master. THE king's overseer The slave-guard saw you. (Strikes him) It is not lawful for a slave to pray. KING ARGIMENES 1 did but pray to Illuriel to make me a good slave, to teach me to dig well and to pull the rounded stone and to make me not to die when the food is scarce, but to be a good slave to my master the great King. !

ACT i] KING ARGIMENES 71

THE king's OVEKSEEB Who art thou to pray to Illuriel? Dogs may not pray to an immortal god. (Exit) \Zarh comes back, digging. KING ARGIMENES (digging) Zarb ZAEB (also digging) Do not look at me when you speak. The guards are watching us. Look at your digging. KING ARGIMENES How do the guards know we are speaking because we look at one another.'* ZARB You are verj' witless. Of course they know. KING ARGIMENES Zarb! ZARB

What is it.? KING ARGIMENES How many guards are there in sight.'' ZARB There are six of them over there. They are watch- ing us. KING ARGIMENES Are there other guards in sight of these six guards.'' ZARB No. KING ARGIMENES How do you know? ZARB Because whenever their officer leaves them they sit upon the ground and play with dice. 72 KING ARGIMENES [act i

KING ARGIMENES How does tliat show that there are not another six in sight of them? ZARB

How witless you are, Argimenes ! Of course it shows there are not. Because, if there were, another of- ficer would see them, and their thumbs would be cut off. KING ARGIMENES Ah! {A pause) Zarb! (A pause) Would the slaves follow me if I tried to kill the guards.'' ZARB No, Argimenes. KING ARGIMENES Why would they not follow me? ZARB Because you look like a slave. They will never follow a slave, because they are slaves themselves, and know how mean a creature is a slave. If you looked like a king they would follow you. KING ARGIMENES But I am a king. They know that I am a king. ZARB

It is better to look like a king. It is looks that they would go by. KING ARGIMENES If I had a sword would they follow me? A beautiful huge sword of bronze. ZARB I wish I could think of things like that. It is because you were once a king that you can think of a sword of bronze. I tried to hope once that I should some day fight the guards, but I could n't ACT i] KING ARGIMENES 73

picture a sword, I could n't imagine it ; I could only picture whips. KING AKGIMENES Dig a little nearer, Zarb. {They both edge closer) I have found a very old sword in the earth. It is not a sword such as common soldiers wear. A king must have worn it, and an angry king. It must

have done fearful things ; there are little dints in

it. Perhaps there was a battle here long ago where

all were slain, and perhaps that king died last and buried his sword, but the great birds swallowed him. ZARB You have been thinking too much of the King's dog, Argimenes, and that has made you hungry, and hunger has driven you mad. KING ARGIMENES I have found such a sword. [A patuse. ZARB Why — then you will wear a purple cloak again, and sit on a great throne, and ride a prancing horse, and we shall call you Majesty. KING ARGIMENES I shall break a long fast first and drink much water, and sleep. But will the slaves follow me? ZARB You will make them follow you if you have a sword.

Yet is Illuricl a very potent god. They say that none have prevailed against King Darniak's dynasty so long as Illuriel stood. Once an enemy cast Illuriel into the river and overthrew the dynasty, but a fisherman found him again and set him up, and the enemy was driven out and the dynasty returned. 74 KING ARGIMENES [act i

KING ARGIMENES If Illuriel could be cast down as my god was cast down perhaps King Darniak could be overcome as I was overcome in my sleep? ZARB If Illuriel were cast down all the people would utter a cry and flee away. It would be a fearful portent. KING ARGIMENES How many men are there in the armory at the

palace ? ZARB There are ten men in the palace armory when all the slave-guards are out. [They dig awhile in silence. ZARB The officer of the slave-guard has gone away — They are playing with dice now. (^He throws down his spade and stretches his arms) The man with

the big beard has won again, he is very nimble with

his thumbs — They are playing again, but it is getting dark, I cannot clearly see. [King Argimenes furtively uncovers the sword, he

picks it up and grips it in his hand. ZARB Majesty! [King Argimenes crouches and steals away towards the slave-guAird. • •••••• ZARB (fo the other slaves') Argimenes has found a terrible sword and has gone to slay the slave-guard. It is not a common sword,

it is some king's sword. ACT i] KING ARGIMENES 75

AN OLD SLAVE Argimenes will be dreadfully flogged. We shall hear him cry all night. His cries will frighten us, and we shall not sleep. ZAS.B

No, no ! The guards flog poor slaves, but Argi- menes had an angry look. The guards will be afraid when they see him look so angry and see his terrible sword. It was a huge sword, and he looked very angry. He will bring us the swords of the slave- guard. We must prostrate ourselves before him and kiss his feet or he will be angry with us too. OLD SLAVE

Will Argimenes give me a sword .f* ZARB

He will have swords for six of us if he slays the slave-guard. Yes, ho will give you a sword. SLAVE

A sword ! No, no, I must not ; the King would kill me if he found that I had a sword. SECOND SLAVE {slowly, as one who develops an idea)

If the King found that I had a sword, why, then it would be an evil day for the King. [They all look off left. ZARB I think that they are playing at dice again. FIEST SLAVE I do not see Argimenes. ZARB No, because he was crouching as he walked. The

slave-guard is on the sky-line. SECOND SLAVE

What is that dark shadow bcliinfl tlic slave-guard? 76 KING ARGIMENES [act i

ZARB

It is too still to be Argimenes. SECOND SLAVE

Look! It moves. . ZARB

The evening is too dark, I cannot see. l^They continue to gaze into the gathering darkness. They raise themselves on their knees and crane their necks. Nobody speaks. Then from their lips and " " from others farther off goes up a long, deep Oh! It is like the sound that goes up from the grand- stand when a horse falls at a fence, or, in England,

like the first exclamation of the crowd at a great cricket match when a man is caught in the slips.

CXJETAIN THE SECOND ACT

The Throne Hall of King Damiak. The King is seated on his throne in the centre at the hack of the stage; a little to his left, but standing out from the wall, a dark-green seated idol is set up. His Queens are seated about him on the ground, two on his right and two between him and the idol. All wear crowns.

Beside the dark-green idol a soldier with a pike is kneel- ing upon one knee. The tear-song, the chant of the low-born, drifts favntly up from the slave-fields, riKST QUEEN Do show us the new prophet, Majesty; it would be very interesting to see another prophet. THE KING Ah, yes. [He strikes upon a gong, and an Attendant enters, walks straight past the King and bows before the idol; he then walks back to the centre of the stage and bows before the King. THE KING Bring the new prophet hither. [Exit Attendant. Enter the King^s Overseer hold- ing a roll of paper. He passes the King, bows to the idol, returns to the front of the King, kneels, and remains kneeling with bended head. THE KING (speaking in the meanwhile to the Second Queen on his immediate right) We are making a beautiful arbor for you, O Atharlia, at an end of 78 KING ARGIMENES [act ii

the great garden. There shall be iris-flowers that you love and all things that grow by streams. And the stream there shall be small and winding like one of those in your country. I shall bring a stream

a new way from the mountains. ( Turnirig to' Queen Oxara on his extreme right) And for you, too, Oxara, we shall make a pleasance. I shall have rocks brought from the quarries for you, and my idle slaves shall make a hill and plant it with moun- tain shrubs, and you can sit there in the winter thinking of the North. (To the kneeling Overseer)

Ah, what is here.'' THE king's overseer The plans of your royal garden, Majesty. The slaves have dug it for five years and rolled the paths. THE KING (takes the plans) Was there not a garden in Babylon.? THE king's overseer They say there was a garden there of some sort. Majesty. THE KING 1 will have a greater garden. Let the world know and wonder. (Looks at the plans) THE king's overseer It shall know at once. Majesty. THE KING (pointing at the plan) I do not like that hill, it is too steep. THE king's overseer No, Majesty. THE KING

Remove it. ACT ii] KING ARGIMENES 79

THE king's OVERSEEE Yes, Majesty. THE KIXG When will the garden be ready for the Queens to walk in? THE king's overseer Work is slow, Majesty, at this season of the year because the green stuff is scarce and the slaves grow idle. They even become insolent and ask for bones. QUEEN CAHAFRA {to the King's Overseer) Then whi/ are they not flogged? {To Queen Thra- golind) It is so simple, the}' ohIt/ have to flog them, but these people are so silly sometimes. I want to walk in the great garden, and then they tell me:

"It is not ready. Majesty. It is not ready, Maj- esty," as though there were any reason why it should not he ready. FOURTH QUEEN Yes, they are a great trouble to us. [^Meanwhile the King hands back the plans. Exit the King's Overseer. Reenter Attendant mith the Prophet, who is dressed in a long dark brown cloak; his face is solemn; he has a long dark beard am3 long hair. Having bowed before the idol, he bows before the King and stands silent. The attendant, having bowed to both, stands by the doorway. THE KING {meanwhile to Queen Atharlia) Perhaps we shall lure the ducks when the marshes

are frozen to come and swim in your stream ; it will be like your own country. (To the Prophet) Prophesy unto us. THE PROPHET (spealis at once in a loud voice) There was once a King that had slaves to hate hlin \ 80 m KING ARGIMENES [act ii

and to toil for him, and he had soldiers to guard him and to die for him. And the number of the slaves that he had to hate him and to toil for him was greater than the number of the soldiers that he had to guard him and to die for him. And the days of that King were few. And the number of thy slaves, O King, that thou hast to hate thee is greater than the number of thy soldiers. QUEEN cAHAPRA {to Queeu ThragoUud) — and I wore the crown with the sapphires and the big emerald in it, and the foreign prince said that I looked very sweet. J[The King, who has been smiling at Atharlia, gives a gracious nod to the Prophet when he hears hi/m stop speaking. When the Queens see the King nod graciously, they applaud the Prophet hy idly clap- ping their hands. THIRD QUEEN Do ask him to make us another prophecy. Majesty! He is so interesting. He looks so clever. THE KING Prophesy unto us. THE PROPHET Thine armies camped upon thy mountainous borders descry no enemy in the plains afar. And within thy gates lurks he for whom thy sentinels seek upon lonely guarded frontiers. There is a fear upon me and a boding. Even yet there is time, even yet; but little time. And my mind is dark with trouble for thy kingdom. QUEEN CAHAFRA {to Quccn ThragoUnd) I do not like the way he does his hair. /

ACT ii] KING ARGIMENES M 81 QUEEN THEAGOLIND

It would be all right if he would only have it cut. THE KING {to the Prophet, dismissing him with a nod of the head) Thank you, that has been very interesting. QUEEN THRAGOLIND

How clever he is ! I wonder how he thinks of things like that? QUEEN CAHAFKA

Yes, but I hate a man who is conceited about it. Look how he wears his hair. QUEEN THEAGOLIND Yes, of course, It is perfectly dreadful. QUEEN CAHAFEA Why can't he wear his hair like other people, even

if he does say clever things.'* QUEEN THEAGOLIND Yes, I hate a conceited man.^ [Enter an Attendant. He hows before the idol, then kneels to the King. THE ATTENDANT The guests are all assembled in the Chamber of Banquets. [All rise. The Queens walk two abreast to the Chamber of Banquets. QUEEN ATHARLiA (to Quecu Oxara), What was he talking about? QUEEN OXAEA He was talking about the armies on the frontier.

» hair to be at all unusual. It is not necessary for the prophet's 82 KING ARGIMENES [act ii

QUEEN ATHARLIA

Ah ! That reminds me of that young captain in the Purple Guard. They say that he loves Linoora. QUEEN OXARA

Oh, Thearkos ! Linoora probably said that. l^When the Queens come to the doorway they half on each side of it. Then they turn facing one an- other. Then the King leaves his throne and passes between them into the Chamber of Banquets, each couple courtseying low to him as he passes. The Queens follow, then the attendants. There rises the wine-song, the chant of the nobles, drowning the chant of the low-born. Only the Idol-GuMrd remains behind, still kneeling beside Illuriel. THE IDOL-GUARD I do not like those things the Prophet said — It would be terrible if they were true — It would be very terrible if they were false, for he prophesies in the name of Illuriel — Ah! They are singing the wine-song, the chant of the nobles. The Queens

are singing. How merry they are ! — I should like to be a noble and sit and look at the Queens. {He joins in the song) THE VOICE OF A SENTINEL Guard, turn out. (The wine-song still continues) THE VOICE OF ONE HAVING AUTHORITY

Turn out the guard there ! Wake up, you accursed pigs! [Still the wine-song. A faint sotmd as of swords. A VOICE CRYING

To the armory ! To the armory ! Reinforce ! The Slaves have come to the armory. Ah! mercy! (For awhile there is silence) ACT n] KING ARGIMEXES 83

KING AEGiMEXES (in the doorway) Go you to the slave-fields. Say that the palace- guard is dead and that we have taken the armory. Ten of you, hold the armory till our men come from the slave-fields. (He comes into the hall with his slaves armed with swords) Throw down Illuriel. THE IDOL-GUABD You must take my life before you touch my god. A SLAVE We only want your pike. \^All attack him; they seize his sword and bind his hands behind him. They all pull down Illuriel, the dark-green idol, who breaks into seven pieces. KING ARGIMEXES

Illuriel is fallen and broken asunder. ZARB (with some awe) Immortal Illuriel is dead at last. KING ARGIMENES My god was broken into three pieces, but Illuriel is broken into seven. The fortunes of Darniak will prevail over mine no longer. (A slave breaks off a golden arm from the throne) Come, we will arm all the slaves. (Exeunt) KING DARNIAK (enters with Retinue) My throne is broken. Illuriel is turned against me. AN ATTENDANT

Illuriel is fallen. ALL (with King Darniak)

Illuriel is fallen, is fallen. (Some drop their spears) KING DARNIAK (to the Idol-Guard) What envious god or sacrilegious man has dared to do this thing? !

84 KING ARGIMENES [act ii

THE IDOL-GUARD

lUuriel is fallen. KING DARNIAK Have men been here? THE IDOL-GUARD Is fallen, KING DARNIAK What way did they go? THE IDOL-GUARD

Illuriel is fallen. KING DARNIAK They shall be tortured here before Illuriel, and their eyes shall be hung on a thread about his neck, so

that Illuriel shall see it, and on their bones we will set him up again. Come l^Those that have dropped their spears pick them up, but trail them along behind them on the ground. All follow dejectedly. VOICES OF LAMENTATION {growlng fainter and fainter off) Illuriel is fallen, Illuriel is fallen. Illuriel, Illuriel, Illuriel. Is fallen. Is fallen. (The song of the low-born ceases suddenly. Then voices of the slaves in the slave-fields chanting very loudly) Illu-

riel is fallen, is fallen, is fallen. Illuriel is fallen and broken asunder. Illuriel is fallen, fallen, fallen. [Clamor of fighting is heard, the clash of swords, and voices, and now and then the name of Illuriel. THE IDOL-GUARD (kneeling over a fragment of Illuriel)

Illuriel is broken. They have overthrown Illuriel. They have done great harm to the courses of the stars. The moon will be turned to blackness or fall and forsake the nights. The sun will rise no more. ACT n] KING ARGIMENES 85

They do not know how they have wrecked the world. [^Reenter King Argimenes and his men. KING ARGIMENES (lu the dooTway) Go you to the land of Ithara and tell them that I am free. And do you go to the army on the fron- tier. Offer them death, or the right arm of the throne to be melted and divided amongst them all. Let them choose. {The armed slaves go to the

throne and stand on each side of it, loquitur) Maj- esty, ascend your throne. {King Argimenes, stand- ing mith his face toward the audience, lifts the sword slowly, lying on both his hands, a little above his

head, then looking up at it, loquitur) Praise to the unknown warrior and to all gods that bless him. {He ascends the throne. Zarb prostrates himself at the foot of it and remains prostrated for the rest of the Act, muttering at intervals " Majesty." An armed slave enters dragging the King's Overseer. King Argimenes sternly watches him. He is dragged before the Throne. He still has the roll of parch- ment in his hand. For some moments King Argi- menes does not speak. Then pointing at the parch- ment) What have you there.'' THE king's overseer {kneeling)

It is a plan of the great garden, Majesty. It was to have been a wonder to the world. {Unfolds it) king argimenes {grimly) Show me the place that I digged for three years.

{The King's Overseer shows it with trembling hands; the parchment shakes visibly) Let there be built there a temple to an Unknown Warrior. And let this sword be laid on its altar evermore, that the ghost of that Warrior wandering by night (if men !

86 KING ARGIMENES [act ii

do walk by night from across the grave) may see his sword again. And let slaves be allowed to pray there and those that are oppressed; nevertheless the noble and the mighty shall not fail to repair there too, that the Unknown Warrior shall not lack due reverence. [^Enter, rurniing, a Man of the household of King Darniak. He starts and stares aghast on seeing King Argimenes. KING ARGIMENES Who are you.'' MAN I am the servant of the King's dog. KING ARGIMENES Why do you come here.'' MAN The King's dog Is dead. KING ARGIMENES AND HIS MEN (sttvagely and hungrily) Bones KING ARGIMENES {remembering suddenly what has hap- pened and where he is) Let him be buried with the late King. ZARB (in a voice of protest) Majesty!

CURTAIN THE GLITTERING GATE PERSONS

JIM, lately a burglar 1 „ , , , \ Both dead "^^ « BILL, " J

Scene: A Lonely Place. Time: The present. THE GLITTERING GATE

The Lonely Place is strewn with large black rocJcs and uncorked beer-bottles, the latter in great profu- sion. At back is a wall of granite built of great slabs, and in it the Gate of Heaven. The door is of gold. Below the Lonely Place is an abyss hung with stars. The rising curtain reveals Jim wearily uncorking a beer-bottle. Then he tilts it slowly and with infinite care. It proves to be empty. Faint and unpleasant laughter is heard off. This action and the accompany- ing far laughter are repeated continually throughout the play. Corked bottles are discovered lying behind rocks, and more descend constantly through the air, within reach of Jim. All prove to be empty. Jim uncorks a few bottles.

JIM {weighing one carefully)

That 's a full one. {It is empty, like all)

[Singing is heard off left. BILL {enters from left with a buHet-hole over his eye, singing) Rule Britannia, Britannia rule the waves.

{Breaking off his song) Why, 'ullo. 'Ere 's a bottle of beer. {Finds it empty; looking off and downward) I 'm getting a bit tired of those bloom- ing great stars down there and this rocky ledge. I 've been walking along under this wall ever since.

Why, it must be twenty-four hours since that house- holder shot me. And he need n't have done it, !

90 THE GLITTERING GATE

either, / was n't going to hurt the bloke. I only wanted a bit of his silver stuff. It felt funny, that did. Hullo, a gate. Why, that 's the Gate of

Heaven. Well, well. So that 's all right. (^Looks up and up for some time) No. I can't climb that

wall. Why, it 's got no top to it. Up and up it goes. (Knocks at the door and waits) JIM That is n't for the likes of us. BILL

Why, hullo, there 's another bloke. Why, some-

body 's been hanging him. Why, if it is n't old Jim Jim! JIM (wearily) Hullo. BILL

Why, Jim ! 'Ow long 'ave you been 'ere? JIM I am 'ere always. BILL Why, Jim, don't you remember me? Why, you taught Bill to pick locks years and years ago when he was a little boy, and had never learnt a trade and had n't a penny in the world, and never would have had but for you, Jim. {Jim stares vaguely) I never forgot you, Jim. I broke into scores of houses. And then I took on big houses. Out in the country, you know, real big ones. I got rich, Jim, and respected by all who knew me. I was a citizen, Jim, one who dwelt in our midst. And of an even- ing, sitting over the fire, I used to say, " I am as clever as Jim." But I was n't, Jim. I could n't climb like you. And I could n't walk like you on THE GLITTERING GATE 91

a creaky stair, when everything 's quite still and

there 's a dog in the house and little rattly things left lying about, and a door that whines if you touch

it, and someone ill upstairs that you did n't know of, who has nothing to do but to listen for you 'cause she can't get to sleep. Don't you remember little Bill? JIM That would be somewhere else. BILL Yes, Jim, yes. Down on Earth. JIM

But there is n't anywhere else. BILL I never forgot you, Jim. I 'd be pattering away with my tongue, in Church, like all the rest, but all the time I 'd be thinking of you in that little room at Putney and the man searching every corner of

it for you with a revolver in one hand and a candle in the other, and you almost going round with him. JIM

What is Putney? BILL Oh, Jim, can't you remember? Can't you remember the day you taught me a livelihood? I was n't more than twelve, and it was spring, and all the may was in blossom outside the town. And we cleared out No. 25 in the new street. And next day we saw the man's fat, silly face. It was thirty years ago. JIM What are years? BILL Oh, Jim! 92 THE GLITTERING GATE

JIM You see there is n't any hope here. And when there is n't any hope there is n't any future. And when

there is n't any future there is n't any past. It 's just the present here. I tell you we 're stuck. There are n't no years here. Nor no nothing. BILL Cheer up, Jim. You 're thinking of a quotation, " Abandon hope, all ye that enter here." I used to learn quotations; they are awfully genteel. A fel- low called Shakespeare used to make them. But

there is n't any sense in them. What 's the use of saying ye when you mean you^ Don't be thinking of quotations, Jim. JIM

I tell you there is no hope here. BILL

Cheer up, Jim. There 's plenty of hope there, is n't there? (Points to the Gate of Heaven) JIM

Yes, and that 's why they keep it locked up so. They won't let us have any. No. I begin to re- member Earth again now since you 've been speak- ing. It was just the same there. The more they 'd got the more they wanted to keep you from having a bit. BILL

You '11 cheer up a bit when I tell you what I 've got. I say, Jim, have you got some beer? Why, so you have. Why, you ought to cheer up, Jim. JIM

All the beer you 're ever likely to see again. They 're empty. —

THE GLITTERING GATE 93

BILL [half rising from the rock on which he has seated himself, and pointing his finger at Jim as he rises; very cheerfully) Why, you 're the chap that said there was no hope here, and you 're hoping to find beer in every bottle you open. JIM Yes; I hope to see a drop of beer in one some day, but I know I won't. Their trick might not work just once. BILL How many have you tried, Jim? JIM Oh, I don't know. I 've always been at it, working as fast as I can, ever since — ever since — {Feels his neck meditatively and up toward his ear) Why, ever since, Bill. BILL

Why don't you stop it.'' JIM I 'm too thirsty. Bill. BILL What do you think I 've got, Jim? JIM I don't know. Nothing 's any use. BILL (as yet another bottle is shown to he empty)

Who 's that laughing, Jim? JIM (astonished at such a question, loudly and em- phatically) Who 's that laughing? BILL (looks a little disconcerted at having apparently asked a silly question) Is it a pal? JIM A pal! (laughs) (The laugh off join^s in loudly and for long) 94 THE GLITTERING GATE

BILL Well, I don't know. But, Jim, what do jou think I 've got? JIM

It is n't any good to you whatever it is. Not even if it is a ten-pound note. BILL

It 's better than a ten-pound note, Jim. Jim, try and remember, Jim. Don't you remember the way we used to go for those iron safes.'' Do you re- member anything, Jim.'' JIM Yes, I am beginning to remember now. There used to be sunsets. And then there were great yellow lights. And one went in behind them through a swinging door. BILL Yes, yes, Jim. That was the Blue Bear down at Wimbledon. JIM Yes, and the room was all full of golden light. And

there was beer with light in it, and some would be spilt on the counter and there was light in that too. And there was a girl standing there with yellow hair. She 'd be the other side of that door now, with lamplight in her hair among the angels, and the old smile on her lips if one of them chaffed her, and her pretty teeth a-shining. She would be very

near the throne ; there was never any harm in Jane. BILL No, there was never any 'arm in Jane, Jim. JIM Oh, I don't want to see the angels. Bill. But if I !

THE GLITTERING GATE 95

could see Jane again (^points in direction of laugh) he might laugh as much as he cared to whenever I wanted to cry. You can't cry here, you know, Bill. BILL You shall see her again, Jim. [Jim takes no interest in this remark; he lowers his eyes and goes on with his work. BILL Jim, you shall see her again. You want to get into Heaven, don't you? JIM (not raising his eyes) Want BILL Jim. Do you know what I 've got, Jim? [Jm makes no answer, goes on wearily with his work. BILL You remember those iron safes, Jim, how we used to knock them open like walnuts with " Old Nut- cracker "? JIM {at work, wearily) Empty again. BII-L Well, I 've got Old Nut-cracker. I had him in my hand at the time, and they let me keep him. They

thought it would be a nice proof against me. JIM

Nothing is any good here. BII-L

I '11 get in to Heaven, Jim. And you shall come with me because you taught me a livelihood. I could n't be happy there, like those angels, if I 96 THE GLITTERING GATE

knew of anyone being outside. I 'm not like that. [e/m goes on with his work. BILL,

Jim, Jim. You '11 see Jane there. JIM You '11 never get through those gates, Bill. You '11

never do it. BILL

They 're only gold, Jim. Gold 's soft like lead. Old

Nut-cracker would do it if they were steel. JIM

You '11 never do it, Bill. [5iZZ puts a rock against the gates, stands on it to reach the lock and gets to work on the lock. A good instrument to use is an egg-whipper. Jim goes on wearily with his work. As Bill works away, frag- ments and golden screws begin to fall on the floor. BILL

Jim ! Old Nut-cracker thinks nothing of it. It 's just like cheese to old Nut-cracker. JIM

They won't let you do it. Bill. BILL They don't know what I 've got. I 'm getting

through it like cheese, Jim. JIM

Suppose it 's a mile thick. Suppose it 's a million

miles thick. Suppose it 's a hundred million miles thick. BILL Can't be, Jim. These doors are meant to open outward. They could n't do that if they were more THE GLITTERING GATE 97

than four inches at the most, not for an Archbishop. They 'd stick. JIM You remember that great safe we broke open once,

what had coal in it. BILL

This is n't a safe, Jim, this is Heaven. There '11 be the old saints with their halos shining and flicker- ing, like windows o' wintry nights. {CreaJc, creak, creak) And angels thick as swallows along a cot- tage roof the day before they go. {Creak, creak, creak) And orchards full of apples as far as you can see, and the rivers of Tigris and Euphrates, so

the Bible says ; and a city of gold, for those that

care for cities, all full of precious stones ; but I 'm a bit tired of cities and precious stones. {Creak, creak, creak) I '11 go out into the fields where the orchards are, by the Tigris and the Euphrates. I should n't be surprised if my old mother was there. She never cared much for the way I earned my livelihood {creak, creak), but she was a good

mother to me. I don't know if they want a good mother in there who would be kind to the angels and sit and smile at them when they sang and soothe

them if they were cross. If they let all the good ones in she'll be there all right. {Suddenly/) Jim! They won't have brouglit me up against her, will

they.'* That 's not fair evidence, Jim. JIM It would be just like them to. Very like them. BILL

If there 's a ghxss of boor to be got in Heaven, or a dish of tripe and onions, or a pipe of 'bacca she '11 98 THE GLITTERING GATE

have them for me when I come to her. She used to know my ways wonderful; and what I liked. And she used to know when to expect me almost anywhere. I used to climb in through the window at any hour and she always knew it was me. (Creak,

creak) She '11 know it 's me at the door now, Jim. (Creak, creak) It will be all a blaze of light, and

'11 I hardly know it 's her till I get used to it. . . . But I '11 know her among a million angels. There were n't none like her on Earth and there won't be

none like her in Heaven, . . . Jim ! I 'm through,

Jim ! One more turn, and old Nut-cracker 's done

it ! It 's giving ! It 's giving ! I know the feel of

it. Jim,! \_At last there is a noise of falling bolts; the gates 'swing out an inch and are stopped hy the rock. BILL

Jim ! Jim ! I 've opened it, Jim. I 've opened the

Gate of Heaven ! Come and help me. JIM {looks up for a moment with open month. Then he mournfully shakes his head and goes on drawing a cork) Another one empty, BILL (looks down once into the abyss that lies below the Lonely Place) Stars. Blooming great stars. [Then he moves away the rock on which he stood. The gates move slowly. Jim leaps up and rwns to help; they each take a gate and move backward

with their faces against it. BILL Hullo, mother! You there.'' Hullo! You there.^

It 's Bill, mother. [The gates swing heavily open, revealing empty night and stars. !

THE GLITTERING GATE 99

BILL (staggering and gazing into the revealed Nothing, in which far stars go wandering) Stars. Blooming great stars. There ain't no Heaven, Jim. l^Ever since the revelation a cruel and violent laugh

has arisen off. It increases in volume and grows louder and louder. JIM

That 's like them. That 's very like them. Yes, they 'd do that The curtain falls and the laughter still howls on.

THE LOST SILK HAT PERSONS

The Caller The Laborer The Clerk The Poet The Policeman

Scene: A fashionable London street. THE LOST SILK HAT

The Caller stands on a doorstep, " faultlessly dressed," but uithout a hat. At first he shows despair, then a new thought engrosses him. Enter the Laborer.

THE CALLER Excuse me a moment. Excuse me — but — I 'd be greatly obliged to you if — if you could see your way — in fact, you can be of great service to me if — THE LABORER Glad to do what I can, sir. CALLER

Well, all I really want you to do is just to ring that bell and go up and say — er — say that you 've come to see to the drains, or anything like that, you know, and get hold of my hat for me. LABORER Get hold of your 'at! CALLER Yes. You see, I left my hat behind most unfor-

tunately. It 's in the drawing-room (points to xvinr dow), that room tlicrc, half under the long sofa, the far end from the door. And if you could possibly

go and get it, why I 'd be ( The Laborer's expression changes) — Why, what's the matter? LABORER (firmly) I don't like this job. 104 THE LOST SILK HAT

CALLER Don't like this job! But my dear fellow, don't be silly, what possible harm — ? LABORER

Ah-h. That 's what I don't know. CALLER But what harm can there possibly be in so simple a request? What harm does there seem to be? LABORER

Oh, it seems all right. CALLER Well, then. LABORER All these crack jobs do seem all right. CALLER But I 'm not asking you to rob the house. LABORER Don't seem as if you are, certainly, but I don't like

the looks of it ; what if there 's things what I can't 'elp taking when I gets inside? CALLER I only want my hat — Here, I say, please don't go away — here 's a sovereign, it will only take you a minute. LABORER What I want to know — CALLER Yes? LABORER

— Is what 's in that hat ? CALLER

What 's in the hat? THE LOST SILK HAT 105

LABOEER

Yes ; that 's what I want to know. CALLER What's m the hat? LABORER Yes, you are n't going to give me a sovereign — ? CALLER I '11 give you two sovereigns. LABORER You are n't going to give me a sovereign, and rise it to two sovereigns, for an empty hat? CALLER But I must have my hat. I can't be seen in the

streets like this. There 's nothing in the hat. What

do you think 's in the hat? LABORER Ah, I 'm not clever enough to say that, but it looks as if the papers was in that hat. CALLER The papers? LABORER Yes, papers proving, if you can get them, that you 're the heir to that big house, and some poor innocent will be defrauded. CALLER

Look here, the hat 's absolutely empty. I must

have my hat. If there 's anything in it you shall have it yourself as well as the two pounds, only get me ray hat. LABORER Well, that seems all right. CALLER That's right, then you'll run up and get it? 106 THE LOST SILK HAT

LABORER Seems all right to mo and seems all right to you.

But it 's the police what you and I have got to think of. Will it seem all right to them.'* CALLER Oh, for heaven's sake — LABORER

Ah I CALLER What a hopeless fool you are. LABORER Ah! CALLER Look here. LABORER Ah, I got you there, mister. CALLER Look here, for goodness sake don't go. LABORER

Ah ! (Exit) [^Enter the Clerk. CALLER Excuse me, sir. Excuse my asking you, but, as you see, I am without a hat. I shall be extraordi- narily obliged to you if you would be so very good

as to get it for me. Pretend you have come to wind the clocks, you know. I left it in the drawing- room of this house, half under the long sofa, the far end. CLERK Oh, er — all right, only — CALLER Thanks so much, I am immensely indebted to you. THE LOST SILK HAT 107

Just say you 've come to wind the clocks, you know. Clerk I — er — don't think I 'm very good at winding clocks, you know. CALLER

Oh, that 's all right, just stand in front of the clock and fool about with it. That 's all they ever do. I must warn you there 's a lady in the room. CLERK Oh! CALLER

But that 's all right, you know. Just walk past up to the clock. CLERK But I think, if you don't mind, as there 's someone there — CALLER

Oh, but she 's quite young and very, very beautiful and — CLERK Why don't you get it yourself? CALLER

That is impossible. CLERK Impossible.'' CALLER Yes, I have sprained my ankle. CLERK Oh! Is it bad? CALLER Yes, very bad indeed. 108 THE LOST SILK HAT

CLERK I don't mind trying to carry you up, CALLER No, that would be worse. My foot has to be kept on the ground. CLERK But how will you get home.'' CALLER

I can walk all right on the flat. CLERK

I 'm afraid I have to be going on. It 's rather later than I thought. CALLER But for goodness sake don't leave me. You can't leave me here like this without a hat. CLERK

I 'm afraid I must, it 's later than I thought. (Exit) [^Enter the Poet. CALLER Excuse me, sir. Excuse my stopping you. But I should be immensely obliged to you if you would do me a very great favor. I have unfortunately left my hat behind while calling at this house. It is half under the long sofa, at the far end. If you could possibly be so kind as to pretend you have come to tune the piano and fetch my hat for me I should be enormously grateful to you. POET

But why cannot you get it for yourself.'* CALLER I cannot. THE LOST SILK HAT 109

POET If you would tell me the reason perhaps I could help you. CALLER I cannot. I can never enter that house again. POET If you have committed a murder, by all means tell me. I am not sufficiently interested in ethics to wish

to have you hanged for it. CALLER Do I look like a murderer.'' POET No, of course not. I am only saying that you can safely trust me, for not only does the statute book and its penalties rather tend to bore me, but murder itself has always had a certain fascination for me. I write delicate and fastidious lyrics, yet, strange as

it may appear, I read every murder trial, and my sympathies are always with the prisoner. CALLER But I tell you I am not a murderer. POET Then what have you done? CALLER I have quarrelled with a lady in that house and have sworn to join the Bosnians and die in Africa. POET

But this is beautiful. CALLER Unfortunately I forgot my hat. POET You go to (he for a hopeless love, and in a far coun-

try; it was the wont of the troubadours. 110 THE LOST SILK HAT

CALI-ER But you will get my hat for me? POET That I will gladly do for you. But we must find an adequate reason for entering the house. CALLER You pretend to tune the piano. POET That, unfortunately, is impossible. The sound of a piano being unskilfully handled is to me what the continual drop of cold water on the same part of the

head is said to be in countries where that interesting

torture is practised. There is — CALLER But what are we to do.? POET

There is a house where kind friends of mine have given me that security and comfort that are a poet's necessity. But there was a governess there and a

piano. It is years and years since I was able even to see the faces of those friends without an inward shudder. CALLER Well, we '11 have to think of something else. POET You are bringing back to these unhappy days the romance of an age of which the ballads tell us that kings sometimes fought in no other armor than their lady's nightshirt. CALLER Yes, but you know first of all I must get my hat. POET But why.'' THE LOST SILK HAT 111

CALLER I cannot possibly be seen in the streets without a hat. POET Why not? CALLER It can't be done. POET But 3^ou confuse externals with essentials. CALLER I don't know what you call essentials, but being decently dressed in London seems pretty essential to me. POET

A hat is not one of the essential things of life. CALLER

I don't want to appear rude, but my hat is n't quite like yours. POET Let us sit down and talk of things that matter, things that will be remembered after a hundred years. {They sit) Regarded in this light one sees at once the triviality of hats. But to die, and die beautifully for a hopeless love, that is a thing one could make a lyric about. That is the test of essential things — try and imagine them in a lyric. One could not write a lyric about a hat. CALLER I don't care whether you could write a lyric about

my hat or whether you could n't. All I know is that I am not going to make myself absolutely ridiculous by walking about in London without a hat. Will you get it for me or will you not? 112 THE LOST SILK HAT

POET

To take any part in the tuning of a piano is im- possible to me. CALLER Well, pretend you 've come to look at the radiator. They have one under the window, and I happen to know it leaks. POET

I suppose it has an artistic decoration on it. CALLER Yes, I think so. POET

Then I decline to look at it or to go near it. I know these decorations in cast iron. I once saw a pot- bellied Egyptian god, named Bes, and he was meant to be ugly, but he was n't as ugly as these decorations that the twentieth century can make with machinery. What has a plumber got to do with art that he should

dare to attempt decoration .f* CALLER Then you won't help me. POET I won't look at ugly things and I won't listen to ugly noises, but if you can think of any reasonable plan I don't mind helping you. CALLER I can think of nothing else. You don't look like a plumber or a clock-winder. I can think of nothing more. I have had a terrible ordeal and I am not in the condition to think calmly. POET Then you will have to leave your hat to its altered destiny. !

THE LOST SILK HAT 113

VLLER Why can't you think of a plan? If you 're a poet,

thinking 's rather in your line. 3ET If I could bring my thoughts to contemplate so ab- surd a thing as a hat for any length of time no doubt I could think of a plan, but the very triviality of the theme seems to scare them away. VLLER (rising)

Then I must get it myself. 3ET

For Heaven's sake, don't do that ! Think what it means \LLER

I know it will seem absurd, but not so absurd as

walking through London without it. 3ET

I don't mean that. But you will make it up. You will forgive each other, and 3'ou will marry her and have a family of noisy, ])imply children like everj'one else, and Romance will be dead. No, don't ring that bell. Go and buy a bayonet, or whatever one does buy, and join the Bosnians. (VLLER I tell you I can't without a hat. 3ET

What is a hat ! Will you sacrifice for it a beautiful doom? Think of your bones, neglected and for- gotten, lying forlornly because of hopeless love on " " endless golden sands. Lying forlorn ! as Keats

said. What a word ! Forlorn in Africa. The care- less Bedouins going past by day, at night the lion's roar, the grievous voice of the desert. 114 THE LOST SILK HAT

CALLER As a matter of fact, I don't think you 're right in speaking of it as desert. The Bosnians, I believe,

are only taking it because it is supposed to be the most fertile land in the world. POET What of that? You will not be remembered by geog- raphy and statistics, but by golden-mouthed Ro- mance. And that is how Romance sees Africa. CALLER Well, I 'm going to get my hat. POET

Think ! Think ! If you enter by that door you will never fall among the foremost Bosnians. You will never die in a far-off, lonely land to lie by immense Sahara. And she will never weep for your beautiful doom and call herself cruel in vain. CALLER

Hark ! She is playing the piano. It seems to me that she might be unhappy about it for years. I don't see much good in that. POET No. / will comfort her. CALLER I'm damned if you do! Look here! I don't mind saying, I 'm damned if you do. POET Calm yourself. Calm yourself. I do not mean in that way. CALLER Then what on earth do you mean.? POET I will make songs about your beautiful death, glad THE LOST SILK HAT 115

songs and sad songs. They shall be glad because they tell again the noble tradition of the troubadours, and sad because they tell of your sorrowful destiny and of 3'our hopeless love. I shall make legends also about your lonely bones, telling perhaps how some Arabian men, finding them in the desert by some oasis, memorable in war, won- der who loved them. And then as I read them to her, she weeps perhaps a little, and I read instead of the glory of the soldier, how it overtops our transitory — CALLER Look here, I 'm not aware that you 've ever been in- troduced to her. POET A trifle, a trifle. CALLEE It seems to me that you 're In rather an undue hurry

for me to get a Jubu spear in me ; but I 'm going to get my hat first. POET I appeal to you. I appeal to you in the name of

beautiful battles, high deeds, and lost causes ; in the name of love-talcs told to cruel maidens and told in vain. In the name of stricken hearts broken like beautiful harp-strings, I appeal to you.

I appeal in tlie ancient holy name of Romance: do not ring that hell. [Caller rings the hell. POET {sits down, ahject) You will marry. You will sometimes take a ticket with your wife as far as Paris. Perhaps as far as Cannes. Then the family will come; a large sprawl- —

116 THE LOST SILK HAT

ing family as far as the eye can see (I speak in hyperbole). You '11 earn money and feed it and be like all the rest. No monument will ever be set up to your memory but [Servant answers bell. Caller says something in- audible. Exit through door. POET (rising, lifting hand) But let there be graven in brass upon this house: Romance was born again here out of due time and died young. (He sits down) [Enter Laborer and Clerk with Policeman. The music stops. POLICEMAN Anything wrong here.'' POET

Everything 's wrong. They 're going to kill Ro- mance. POLICEMAN (to Laborer) This gentleman does n't seem quite right somehow. Xaborer They 're none of them quite right to-day. [Music starts again. POET

My God ! It is a duet. POLICEMAN He seems a bit wrong somehow. LABOREE You should 'a seen the other one.

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